Max and Alec Alphabet Prompts
by Willow-98
Summary: These are Dark Angel Alphabet Prompt ideas I got after reading nickeldime17's alphabetic one-shots.
1. A Is For Anything

**A Is For:**

**Anything**

She didn't understand...and he was beginning to think that she never would. He really would do whatever she asked him to. Go on a heist? Yeah sure, why not? Train the young X-series? Gladly. Be the merry little go between for her and Logan? With bells on. He didn't expect her to understand because he himself didn't, not really.

"What were you thinking?" She demanded, screeched might be a better word. He was glad that they were alone.

"Max-" He started but she cut him off as usual.

"You could have been killed, you could have gotten the others killed. It was stupid and reckless, guess you haven't changed after all." She sneered.

He blinked in surprise and opened his mouth again, "I could not have gotten anyone else killed. I was alone." He ground out, trying to keep calm.

Max paused for a second, "And you think that was smart? Going off and doing...whatever the hell it was you were doing, alone? Without backup?"

He tried to reply again but she interrupted, "What were you doing, Alec? Where the hell were you?"

Alec was getting angry now, "If you would let me talk I might be able to tell you!" He said loudly, talking over any interruptions. She snapped her head back in surprise.

"Well?" She asked, her voice dangerously low.

He put his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small vial, "I got you your damn cure." He said, his voice was just as low and dangerous as hers, "I didn't bring anyone because it was a one man job. I didn't tell you in case it didn't pan out. That's where the hell I was." Max looked at him in shock, she opened her mouth to try and say something but he was already gone. Her eyes fell on the small vial lying on the nearby table. 'I got you your damn cure'. Crap, now she was gonna have to go apologize. And talk to Logan.

The video conference call went as she expected it to, "Hey you." Was his greeting.

"Hey." She replied as always. "I got some news."

"Really?" He asked, already he was in hacker mode ready to solve the latest crisis.

"Yeah...Alec-" Logan cut her off.

"Is he back yet?" He asked reluctantly, Max had been bitching nonstop about Alec since he disappeared 5 days earlier.

"Yeah, just got in today. He brought somethin' back with him." Max hedged.

"Another transgenic?" Logan asked curiously.

"No. The cure." Max blurted out. Silence rang out on Logan's end of the line. Max waited, somewhat impatiently, for him to say something.

"The cure? The real cure?" He questioned.

"Yeah. I had it tested before I called you. It's already been injected, I'm virus free." Max told him.

"For how long?" Logan asked warily, recalling the last time Max got 'cured.'

"The cure eradicated the virus, it's gone for good." Max told him confidently. That was all Logan needed to hear, his face split into a huge smile.

"This is great! We can finally be together, for real this time Max. No dying or viruses to stand in the way." Logan said excitedly.

Max's face took on a distant expression, "Yeah...great."

Logan would arrive in TC later that evening, necessary computer equipment in hand. Max had mixed feeling about seeing him, on one hand she was excited to have the virus out of the way. On the other hand the virus had created a fantastic excuse to remain distanced from him. She hadn't seen Alec since he gave her the cure and she was somewhat anxious to get her apology out of the way.

Max stopped at the table where Mole sat cleaning his gun, "You seen Alec?" she asked the lizard man.

"Princess went out on a mission an hour ago. He should be back within the hour." Mole replied dully.

"Who approved the mission?" Max demanded angrily, Alec had to stop doing this.

"Alec did. There was a trapped transgenic, the cops were closing in on him. It was an emergency no time for paperwork." Mole reported.

"Someone should have told me." Max snapped.

"Someone tried. You told her to get the hell outta your office." Mole sneered back, finally looking at her. His eyes were filled with disgust and anger.

Max sighed and berated herself. She had been so distracted by the cure that she hadn't wanted to see anyone and when Wendy, the transgenic who came into her office, had tried talking to her Max had kicked her out. "Sorry."

Mole looked at her again, "There are a lot of people you need to apologize to. I'm not one of them," he told her. It didn't take a genius to know that he was referring to Alec. Mole hardly talked to her and when he did it was almost always work related, so when he interfered on a personal level she knew that it was about Alec. He and Alec got along great. Max would even call them best friends. Then again Alec seemed to be best friends with everyone in TC. He was so different in here then he was out there.

"Hey Max," a quiet voice said from behind her.

Max turned slowly, preparing herself. Logan was standing there looking at her with warm gentle eyes that were full of excitement and love.

"Hey. Lets go into my office," she suggested with a smile. Together they walked into the office and closed the door behind them.

She and Logan stared at each other in silence, Logan made the first move gently taking her bare hand into his bare hand. Skin on skin for the first time in almost two years. They stared at their joined hands, savoring the moment. Logan basking in the realization that his was real and he could finally have Max. And Max loving the fact that an accidental touch would no longer kill anyone.

Without warning Logan's lips were hovering above hers. She had no time to think before they were crashing down on her. She could feel his love and enthusiasm as he poured every emotion that had accumulated over the last two years into this single kiss. She closed her eyes and willed the fireworks to come sweep her off her feet. She felt nothing. There was no burn, no heat. Had there ever been? Had it all just been an imagined feeling? Had she been so caught up in the excitement of a normal relationship that she had imagined the heat? Or had it just disappeared after the virus?

Logan pulled back and looked at her in confusion after she stopped responding. "Max?"

Max looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Logan smiled kindly, "Don't be. I know it's a lot to process after so long."

Max's face fell even more as she shook her head at his misinterpretation. "No. Logan, I can't do this. Us," she reiterated.

His face went blank, "What?"

"It's not there," she said, hardly audible.

"What's not there?" he asked in desperate confusion.

"The spark. The heat. The passion. It's gone, Logan. Or maybe it was never really there," Max told him, desperate for him to understand. "Maybe it's just been so long that I can't feel it anymore. I dunno," she finished, almost to herself.

"We need to give it a chance. You haven't given it a chance!" Logan argued.

Max shook her head again. "No. If we do this then we'll just fall back into our old pattern and we'll never get out. I can't live like that. A year ago I thought I could but I wasn't being realistic. I don't deserve to have to settle and you don't deserve to have someone settle for you."

Logan stepped back looking like he'd been slapped. "You'd just be settling for me?" he laughed self-deprecatingly. "Of course you would, I always knew that. I'm just ordinary...a paralyzed ordinary at that. You were always meant to be with another transgenic. Alec," he told her, the last word whispered in anger.

"It doesn't matter that your ordinary, paralyzed or not. You are a great person, Logan. You're just not the person for me," Max paused. "What does Alec have to do with anything?"

"You guys have enough unresolved sexual tension to light an entire city, Max. He was your breeding partner at Manticore. You two were meant for each other on a genetic level and as an observer I'd say you were meant for each other on every other level as well," Logan explained sadly.

"Me and Alec aren't like that," Max disagreed vehemently.

Logan smiled sadly, "Neither were we," he hinted.

Max softened immediately. "Yes we were. At some point, we were. I'm sorry, Logan."

"Don't be. I understand. I'll still help you guys as much as I can, of course. I should be getting back, toxins and everything. Goodbye, Max," he said in a rush, the need to leave overwhelming.

"Bye, Logan," she whispered as he walked out of her office.

As Logan was walking towards the secret exits he came across Alec and another strange transgenic. "Hey Logan." Alec called out cheerfully. It didn't escape Logan's attention that he was clutching his left shoulder.

"Alec," he nodded.

"If you continue straight ahead you'll come across HQ. They'll get you all taken care of," Alec told his transgenic companion kindly.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

"Anytime," Alec nodded with a smirk before turning back to Logan. "So how's it goin?" he asked.

"Max and I broke up, for good this time. Thank you for the cure," Logan told him honestly.

Alec's face twisted in confusion, "The cure was supposed to bring about the opposite effect."

Logan laughed bitterly, "Apparently there is no passion anymore."

Alec grimaced in sympathy, "Sorry man."

"Not your fault," 'Not all your fault' he added silently to himself. "Hey, take care of her...and yourself," Logan told him.

"Of course. You take care of yourself too, Logan. Call if you need anything," Alec said seriously.

"I will. You should get that shoulder looked at. GSW?" he asked.

Alec rolled his eyes. "What else? I swear I must have a target on this shoulder," he laughed.

Logan chuckled along with him, "I'll see you around." Alec nodded and walked around him. Logan turned and watched the young transgenic swagger away. The male transgenic had changed a lot since Manticore had burned down, he was still somewhat annoying and sarcastic but he also cared and always got the job done. There was no doubt in his mind that Alec and Max were meant to be together, he had known it since he had first met the cocky kid he just hadn't wanted to admit it. He had hoped that Max would never figure it out, selfish he knew but he hadn't been able to bring himself to care. Now he wished them luck and hoped that it wouldn't take them as long as it had taken he and Max.

Max walked out of her office to see if Alec was back yet when she noticed Dix talking with someone that she had never seen before. "Hello," She greeted, walking up to the transgenic.

"Hi," she replied sweetly.

"Max this is Sugar, Sugar this is our CO, Max," Dix introduced. "Sugar is who Alec went out to retrieve," he explained.

"Welcome to Terminal City," Max welcomed with a smile. "Where is Alec?" she asked Dix, who shrugged.

Sugar answered the question for her, "If you have an infirmary then he's probably there. He took a bullet for me," the transgenic told her, hero worship in her eyes at the mention of Alec's act.

Max barely heard anything after infirmary, of course that was where he was. That's where he always was. She numbly excused herself and hurried towards their hospital area hoping that the wound wasn't too bad.

Alec whistled in boredom as he waited for the medic to finish wrapping his wound. He was getting jittery and anxious to leave. He couldn't believe that Max had broken things off with Logan. After all the trouble he went through to get the cure. It was just like her, never could be happy with what she's got. He couldn't help but feel that tinge of hope and relief though. He was good at hiding it, he was always good at hiding.

"You got ants in your pants?" the medic asked in amusement.

Alec leered. "Among other things," he winked.

Sue giggled. "You never could sit still for more than two minutes," she said rolling her eyes.

"I get bored," Alec defended himself.

Sue laughed again, "And we've all seen what that leads to." Alec joined her laughter. "And you're done," she announced. "Good as new."

"Finally!" Alec exclaimed.

"Hey my work is good. And if you didn't get your ass shot up as much you wouldn't have to see me so often." Sue told him as they left the private room.

"Ahh but then you wouldn't get the pleasure of my company," Alec smirked.

"My life would end," she replied dryly.

Alec laughed again, "Undoubtedly. Thank you," he said in appreciation, leaning down and kissing her cheek.

"You're welcome," she blushed as he turned away. "See you next week!"

Alec laughed once more, "Same time?" he called out over his shoulder.

"You are very consistent," she joked as they walked in their separate directions, both of them chuckling to themselves.

Max watched in relief as Alec and one of the medics walked out of one of the patient rooms. Her relief soon turned to jealousy as Alec leaned down and kissed the medic. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment as she realized she was envious of Sue. She quickly ducked around the corner and left the building. She didn't get far before Alec appeared beside her, walking quickly towards head quarters.

"Alec," she called out, stopping. She watched as he slowly stopped and turned towards her. Cocking his head in expectation as he waited for her to continue. "I'm sorry about this morning. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I was just worried," she blurted out.

Alec smirked. "No problem," he told her before turning back towards HQ.

"How badly are you hurt?" she couldn't help asking, needing him to stay with her longer and not knowing why.

"Just a bullet wound to the shoulder. You know, 'been there, done that,'" he quoted her, making her flinch at the memory of her callousness.

"Sorry."

Alec stared at her in confusion, "Why? You didn't shoot me," he stated.

"No, about before. About everything before. My behavior towards you was inexcusable," she admitted.

Alec looked at her in shock. "Don't worry about it Max. I'm used to it," he told her, realizing his wrong choice in words after she flinched again. He sighed and shifted, uncomfortable with the emotional display, "Look, I'm not exactly the easiest person to get along with. I'm cocky, rude, and am what some would consider a slut," he chuckled. "I don't need or ask people to like me and for the most part I don't care what they think about me. It makes me...unlikable to some people. You happen to be one of them, I don't blame or hate you for that. As long as we're able to get along when it counts then nothing else matters," he finished with a shrug.

Max looked at him in shock. Her eyes narrowed as she thought over his blunt assessment of himself and her thoughts from earlier today. "But that's not who you are, is it?" she asked.

It was Alec's turn to look surprised. "Who I am?"

"It's who you pretend to be. A cocky rude slut. But that's not who you really are. You're not just X5-494, or Simon Lehane. You're not just Ben's clone or just a smart aleck," Max paused, confident in her words. "In here you're kind, work-oriented, and a good role model. Something I never thought I'd hear myself say about you. But I think that it's just another mask you put up so that no one questions you."

Alec sighed in irritation. "Questions me about what?"

Max sucked in a deep breath and looked at him, really looked at him like she never had before. "Who are you, Alec?"

Alec looked at her and her heart broke when she saw genuine confusion on his face. "I don't know what you mean, Max." He was silent for a moment before something clicked as he went over her words. He shook his head and looked at her again. "I am who I need to be."

"What?" it was her turn to be confused.

"I'm X5-494 when someone needs a soldier. I'm Simon Lehane when someone needs a piano playing assassin. I'm Ben's clone when crazy Manticore scientists need a reason to take me apart. I'm a smart aleck because that's what you needed me to be in order to deal with me looking like your brother. In here I'm a kind, work-oriented role model because that's what people need me to be so that they can continue to hope that someday we'll get to live better than this. Out there I was a cocky, rude slut because I didn't know how to adapt so I mimicked what I saw around me. I'm anything anyone needs me to be," he finished with a nod, satisfied with his explanation.

Max was stunned into silence. Her mind processed his words, 'I'm a smart aleck because that's what you needed me to be in order to deal with me looking like your brother'. ' I didn't know how to adapt so I mimicked what I saw around me.' She hadn't realized, it seemed so obvious now. He was trained to be a chameleon. To become other people, and when she burned down Manticore he needed to find someone else to be. She didn't see that, she thought that he was just this happy-go-lucky sociopath. He had been as lost as she was in '09 and she had refused to see it. He knew that she didn't want to see a guy with Ben's face so he molded himself into someone with a completely different personality. She had been blind. 'I'm anything anyone needs me to be.'

"You're anything anyone needs you to be," she repeated. Alec shrugged, relieved that she had finally broken the silence. She looked him in the eyes. "Your anything everyone else needs you to be. Who do you need you to be."

Confusion entered his expression again. "I-" he stumbled. "I'm nobody. I don't need to be anybody, if I had my way I'd be nobody. Just another face in an endless sea of faces." he finally replied with a smirk. He shook his head wanting to get off this topic. "Max, I don't know what you want from me. I'm trying here, I really am. I don't see why you need to know who I am. I get the job done, and I get it done well. You don't like me, that's fine, I don't get why you need to understand me."

"You're wrong. You're not nobody. You could never be nobody," Max assured him.

Alec huffed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair. "Why ask me who I want to be if you're just gonna tell me I'm wrong?"

"Because anyone who has people that care about them can never be nobody," Max told him firmly.

Alec rolled his eyes, "Yes well, as you've so aptly pointed out, no one knows the 'real me'," he mocked using quotations with his fingers. "so how could anyone care about a person that doesn't exist?"

"I think-" Max started thoughtfully. "I think that you just haven't figured out who you are yet. No one's let you. I haven't let you. I do know that whether you're X5-494, Simon Lehane, or Alec McDowel, you have people that care about you. You have an entire transgenic community that cares about 494, Rachel Berrisford cared about Simon, and you have an entire transgenic community, Normal, Original Cindy, Sketchy, Jam Pony in general, and Logan, who care about Alec McDowel. And you have me. I care about you no matter who you pretend to be," she admitted softly.

Alec cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable, "Well...thank you." There was an awkward pause. "Uh- are we done with the Spanish inquisition?"

Max laughed, "Yeah. We're done."

Alec nodded, "Cool. I gotta go make sure Sugar settling in okay," he said quickly leaving before Max started up again.

Max watched him walk of with a better understanding of the man who had stood by her side for the last two years. She was saddened by his confession and was left with the hope that maybe she could help him become someone that he would be proud to be. She was already proud of who he is...whoever that may be.

_**-End-**_


	2. B Is For Brick

**A/N- I'm not entirely happy with this one, I wrote most of these a couple of years ago and have just now decided to post them. I'm afraid the the characters (Max especially) is a little OOC. I tried to convey how things may have progressed if Max and Alec's first meeting had happened a little differently. **

**Big thanks to "****l" and "****recicup" for their reviews =).**

**B is for:**

**Brick**

Max sawed diligently at the cement wall trying to create an opening. She had been back at Manticore for three months and she was determined to leave as soon as possible. She wasn't sure what Director Renfro was thinking when she confined Max to a cell without supervision but she was grateful for the error in judgment. So far, aside from the daily training exercises and torture, Max had been left in solitary. She supposed that this was supposed to be a punishment.

Her ears perked up when she heard the steady taps of marching feet making their way closer to her cell. She jumped up, placing her saw underneath the bed and quickly pulling the bed flat down. She gracefully threw herself onto the bed and waited for the guards to check on her before continuing on. Which is why she was surprised to hear her door being opened.

She sat up and watched as a man entered her room, he was dressed in the same fatigues as she was so she figured him to be a transgenic. When he looked up she gasped. "Ben?"

The door slid shut behind him and his face twisted in confusion. "What?"

And then she saw his eyes, outwardly they were identical to Ben's but they had a different light in them. They weren't crazed and broken, but rather damaged and sad covered up by humor and fatigue. "Never mind. You look like someone I used to know."

The Ben look-alike nodded. "Right well, lets get this over with," he said tiredly, taking off his shirt.

Max's eyebrows flew up. "Get what over with?"

"They didn't tell you? I'm your breeding partner. Our orders are to copulate every night until you get pregnant," he recited tonelessly.

"That's sick," she spat, her face twisting in disgust.

The Ben-clone peered over at her. "I agree, but it's your own fault. If you and your unit hadn't come in and blown up the DNA lab then they'd still be whipping the them up and putting them in surrogates," he informed her.

"You agree?" she said disbelievingly. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Not happening," she told him preparing for a fight.

The soldier surprised her by shrugging. "Whatever. I'd rather sleep anyway," he said, putting his shirt back on.

Max, despite getting what she wanted, was insulted. "You'd rather sleep?" she asked in disbelief.

The soldier looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Look whatever you might think about us, I like my women willing. Besides I haven't exactly had the best few months," he told her, sliding down the cement walls and closing his eyes.

Max studied the man in front of her. He had thick black rings around his eyes that told her he hadn't had a decent nights sleep in far too long. Her mind flashed back to when he was shirtless, he was in shape no doubt about it, but he also looked malnourished and had quickly fading scars that looked to be inflicted via torture. "What's your name?" she asked, not wanting to call him 'the soldier' anymore.

"My designation is 494." he replied without opening his eyes.

"I'm Max," she told him, she didn't know why she trusted him with her name but she did.

He opened his eyes then in surprise. "Hey Max," he greeted, testing her name out on his tongue.

Max closed her eyes and allowed the joy of hearing someone speak her name out loud to her wash over her. When she reopened them 494's eyes were closed again. She stood up and sat down against the wall, mimicking his posture. "Take the bed," she told him.

Once again his eyes flew open in surprise and he stared at her suspiciously. She kept her face open and honest realizing that this man was more closed off and less trusting than she was. Finally he stood up and walked to the cot, gently lowering himself onto it. She watched as he moved with slow caution. He closed his eyes again and this time Max didn't say a word. She'd let him sleep.

Max watched 494 sleep for the next hour until the marching feet came back. She was about to wake 494 up but he was already standing and waiting. He looked at her. "When Renfro asks if the copulation was successful, as she undoubtedly will, I'd suggest that you lie," he advised. She nodded her agreement, relieved that he wouldn't be ratting her out. The guards came and opened the door while Max stood up and 494 squared his shoulders taking on the perfect soldier stance. He turned once he reached the opening, "See ya, Max." And then he was gone. Max smiled at the sound of her name before sitting down on her cot. There was something about X5-494 that she was drawn to, and she found herself counting down the hours until the next time she got to see him.

The next morning all the breeding pairs were lined up, everyone had a partner but Max and she was anxious to know why 494 wasn't there. She could hear the other pairs telling Renfro whether their copulation was successful or not. Those that weren't were taken away to be tested. "Report, 452!" Renfro ordered when she came to Max.

"Copulation between myself and 494 successful, Ma'am!" she barked out obediently, taking 494's advice.

"Really, 452? What would you're little boyfriend think of you now?" she asked smugly. Max bit back any response and stared blankly ahead of her, relieved when Renfro moved on to the next couple.

Eight hours later Max was pacing her cell anxiously, she knew that 494 should be arriving at any moment assuming everything was okay. She was sure that everyone within a mile could hear her heart beating when the sound of marching reached her ears. She almost choked on her relief when her cell door opened and 494 walked through. She didn't know what possessed her to do what she did next but it happened all the same.

The cell door closed and Max walked up to 494 and threw her arms around him. She felt him flinch back and loosened her grip but didn't let go. "Uh-good to see you too," he said with a smirk.

Max stepped back and looked him over before leading him over to the cot. She didn't like that he just followed, she didn't know how she knew but she was certain that this soldier had more fire in him than he had shown over the last couple days. She gently pushed him down on the bed and stepped away, giving him room.

"Not that I'm complaining but what's with the hug and...niceness?" he asked warily.

"I was worried about you," she told him honestly.

His eyebrows flew up, "You don't know me."

"I know," she said, she couldn't explain her concern and she was relieved to see that he seemed to understand that. "You weren't in the line-up today."

"I wasn't?" He gasped in mock surprise.

Max rolled her eyes, "Why weren't you?"

494's eye's darkened, "I had an appointment elsewhere."

Max nodded deciding that she wouldn't push him for now. He sagged down against the mattress and his eyes fluttered closed, once again Max was left watching him in slumber. Her mind was far away from the cell and Manticore. She was thinking about Logan and her guilt over feeling whatever she was feeling over 494. She hated calling him that, he was more than a series of numbers, they all were.

She was jerked out of her thoughts by a low moan. She looked over at the cot and saw 494 twisting fitfully. His eyes were screwed tightly shut and his body shook angrily. Max was on her feet in seconds and she cautiously approached the distressed soldier. "494," she said calmly. She came closer, slowly reaching an arm out towards him. She touched his arm and shook him a bit saying his name again. 494 reacted quicker than her enhanced eyes could follow, she suddenly found herself in a very strong chokehold. 494's unfocused eyes danced wildly around the room before finally settling on her. Almost immediately they cleared and he dropped his grip on her, he blurred off the cot and was on the other side of the cell before she caught her breath.

She stood up and walked towards him, stopping when she noticed him shrinking away from her. He cleared his throat, "Sorry."

Max shrugged and smirked. "Don't worry about it. It was my fault I know better than to get close to a genetically engineered super soldier in the middle of a nightmare."

494 shook his head in irritation. "Next time just leave me be. I don't wanna find out what happens if I don't realize it's you right away."

Max nodded, telling him what he needed to hear, "Okay."

He nodded and slid down to the floor, she mimicked his motion on the other side of the room. "You need a name," she said suddenly.

"My designation is 494," he replied.

"Yeah but that's so impersonal," she scoffed. She had been going through possible names for him for awhile now and finally found the perfect one. "I'm gonna call you Alec," she told him firmly.

"Alec?" he asked.

"Yeah. As in smart aleck," she grinned.

Alec smirked back at her, "I can live with that."

"Good 'cause I'm not givin' you a choice."

"Pushy," Alec ribbed good naturedly.

"And don't forget it," Max smiled back. The sound of the approaching guards reached their ears and the two soldiers stood up waiting. "Have a good day," Max told him.

Alec snorted. "Yeah you too," was his reply as he left her behind.

Max was going out of her mind over the next 6 days. Alec was nowhere to be found, he hadn't been brought back to her cell since she had named him and she was worried sick. Occasionally her mind would wander and she would find herself thinking about Original Cindy and Logan, Sketchy, Herbal, and hell, even Normal. And she would feel guilty. Guilty that she had missed so much work and so much of her friends' lives. Guilty that she thought of Logan as a friend now and not as a potential romantic interest. Guilty that she wanted Alec more than anything.

She never stopped working on her escape though. She had now had a large enough block of cement removed that she could slide through into the basement. She had met Joshua, a dog creature that was one of the first transgenics created. She even found her escape route, a window that was barred but she was sure that she could remove them. But she couldn't leave. She wouldn't leave until she knew what happened to Alec.

Finally. Finally, eight days after she last saw him, Alec was back in her cell. She had just finished going over the last details of her escape plan with Joshua, who assured her that he could easily get rid of the bars, and that she would let him know when she was ready. She was crawling back through her hole and sliding out from under the cot when she saw two brilliant green eyes staring down at her. "Hey Max," he said tiredly, jumping off of the bed and pulling it up so that Max could replace the block.

"Alec," she whispered when she turned to face him. "How long have you been here?"

He glanced down at his watch, "5 minutes," he told her pushing the cot back down.

He opened his mouth to say more but was cut off by Max's lips. She was unable to help herself, after so long waiting for him to come and assure her that he was alright she threw herself at him. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and her lips attacked his with a desperate need. The need to know that he was really here, that he was okay. He flinched slightly at her attack but responded anyway.

The kiss was passionate and it burned Max up from the inside out. She had never experienced anything like this before. She gently maneuvered him so that he was lying down on the cot with her on top of him. His hands flew to her waist holding her tightly as he expertly explored her mouth. She got excited at his response and started running her hands over his chest. He couldn't help the sharp pain filled intake of breath at her touch.

She pulled back immediately and looked at him in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing Max. Everything's good," He told her. The pain on his face that he couldn't quite conceal told her differently. Her hands flew to the hem of his shirt and she started to lift it up. His hands clamped over hers tightly. "Max," he warned.

"Alec," She said back in the same tone. "Please?"

He closed his eyes in defeated irritation and loosened his grip. She finished pulling the shirt up and over his arms and head before allowing herself to look down at the damage. She immediately wished that she hadn't looked. His skin was raw and red with angry welts, purple, blue, and black with harsh bruises that stood out starkly against his pale skin. His eyes were still closed, his head turned away. She gently ran her hands over the long gashes, "What the hell happened?"

Alec was quite for a long time and Max made herself wait with patience for his answer. "Psy-Ops and Reindoc," he finally told her. He looked at her then avoiding her eyes. "That's where I've been the last nine months. I dunno why they're letting me out for an hour to be with you, I can only guess that we're a genetic match," he mused.

"And the last eight days?" she asked, fearing the answer.

"They fucked me up too badly. I couldn't walk which meant that I wasn't much good for anything else," he smirked angrily.

"What are you in for?" she asked next.

Alec paused again. "X5-493, I believe that you refer to him as 'Ben'," he blurted out.

Max's mind flashed back to the first time they had met. He had figured out who she thought he had been. "What-?"

"After 49-Ben went psycho and started killing people they needed someone to test, see what his problem was. I was the lucky guinea pig. Once they got his body back-uh, you know that he's dead, right?"

"Yeah," Max choked out.

"Right. Sorry. Anyway, after they got the body back they decided that they needed to check and see if it was genetic. That's what they've been doing the last few months." He finished explaining. "I figure sometime in the next few months they'll get an answer in the affirmative. I'm thinkin' I might just start acting insane so they'll finally put me down." he half joked.

Max looked down at him in horror. "Don't say that!"

Alec looked at her with wide eyes, "Relax, Maxie. I was kidding...mostly. But really, you shouldn't get too attached. It's only a matter of time now."

Max shook her head, eyes watering at her nickname, "No. We're leaving. You and me, right now."

"Yeah okay, lemme just go see if the guards are cool with that," he said sarcastically.

"I'm serious, Alec," Max told him.

"What?"

"I'm not losing you to this place," She started but Alec interrupted her.

"You don't know me, Max. We've spent a total of 2 hours and-" he looked down at his watch. "24 minutes together."

"It doesn't matter. We got this connection. I feel it and I know you do too," she said fiercely. When he didn't deny it she continued, "The hole under the bed leads into the basement, there's a window down there. I've been working on a plan to get us safely out."

"Us?" he asked with wide disbelieving eyes.

"I wasn't leaving without you," she told him. "Now you're in bad shape but you've had a few days to recover so this is the best time to go. And we have to do it now before our hour is up. I have a friend down there who is willing to help us," she paused. "Please come with me Alec."

"I can't leave everyone else here, Max. When you escaped in '09 everyone suffered," Alec choked out.

"We'll get them out. You and me, together. Once you've healed, I promise. Just please...come with me," Max pleaded desperately.

"I-" Alec started.

"If you don't come with me now I will come back for you," Max told him. "And I'll be by myself, which leaves me more vulnerable. If you come with me tonight then we'll have a much better chance of freeing the others safely. You know this compound better than I do," she pointed out, not above threatening him.

Alec stared at her in amazement. "Okay," he whispered and was rewarded with a dazzling smile and a kiss.

All too soon her lips left his and she was pulling him off the bed and helping him put his shirt back on. "We have to go now," she said lifting the bed and pulling the block out of the wall. She waited for Alec to drop down before following him, pulling the bed down behind her. They were immediately met with Joshua.

"Little fella," the giant dogman greeted.

"Hey big fella, this is Alec. Alec this is my friend Joshua," Max introduced.

"Hey Josh," Alec nodded.

"Medium fella," Joshua dubbed him.

"Uh- okay," Alec replied with a shrug making Max smile.

"We're leaving tonight, big fella," Max told him. Joshua nodded and led the way to the window. In no time at all Joshua had pulled the bars out and Max and Alec were lifting themselves up through the window, while Max told Alec the plan.

"Joshua come with you?" he asked hopefully.

"Soon big fella," Max said. "Alec and I are gonna come back when Alec's better and get everyone out. We're gonna need your help then, okay?"

"Soon, Joshua help get out soon," he nodded.

"That's right, big guy. We won't leave ya behind," Alec agreed. "Thanks for the help." Joshua gave him a large smile and ran away getting the attention of a few X7's. Alec and Max stealthily ran towards the fence that was their only barrier between this world and the next. They were almost there when an X7 appeared before them. Alec wasted no time in easily knocking the little guy out. Max looked at him in surprise. He shrugged. "I helped train them." Max looked at him in a new light as they continued on. Soon they were jumping over the fence, Alec winced as the landing jarred his cracked and broken ribs. Max helped steady him immediately.

Joshua appeared before them on the other side of the gate. "Soon, Joshua. We'll come back for you soon," Max promised before grabbing Alec's hand and putting as much distance as possible between them and Manticore.

Max and Alec stood outside of a large penthouse staring up at it. "Uh- are we just gonna stand here for the rest of the night?" Alec questioned.

Max was startled out of her thoughts and turned to him. "My kind of boyfriend lives here," she started, loving the quiet sound of Alec's growl. "I need to explain to him that I'm not dead. That I've met you and that I need a first aid kit," she finished.

Alec sighed, "Fine. Let's go get this awkward show down over with."

Max laughed. "Alec?" He turned to her and cocked his head in question. "Logan and I are in the past now. Whatever this is between you and me? I wanna find out, so no worries," she paused and then looked at him in embarrassment. "I've just realized that you know what I want but I've never asked what you want. I mean do you wanna be with me? Here I am assuming thing-" Alec cut her off with a deep kiss that told her exactly what he felt.

"I wanna see where this goes too," he told her simply. "Hell, woman, I've just given up the only home I've ever known for you," he pointed out with a smart ass smirk. She could only laugh and start walking again.

Max and Alec easily slipped into Logan's penthouse and were now standing behind the man in question. "Logan," Max said softly.

Logan turned around so quickly that Alec thought he'd fall out of his chair. "Max," he whispered in disbelief. He stood up and walked over to her, not giving her time to talk before kissing her deeply. Alec tensed up beside them and felt Max do the same. She gently pushed Logan off of her.

"We can't, Logan," she told him firmly.

"Why? Who are you?" he asked finally noticing Alec.

"This is Alec...my boyfriend," Max said, the word feeling strange to say. Already Alec seemed like so much more.

"You're- Well that didn't take long," he said bitterly.

"I can't help it, Logan. It is what it is. We need your help, please?" she asked.

"What?" Logan asked sadly.

"A fully stocked first aid kit...and in a few weeks, when Alec's fully healed, we're gonna need your help in taking down Manticore and freeing the transgenics we left behind," Max told him seriously.

Logan looked at her in shock before nodding, "Okay," he agreed always up for a chance to save the world. He disappeared and returned a minute later with a large first aid bag. "It's yours."

"Thank you," Max said gratefully. "We're gonna go back to my apartment. I need to see my boo. Goodbye Logan, We'll see you soon," she said as they quickly left.

"Bye Max," Logan said sadly but they were already out of earshot.

Twenty minutes later Max and Alec were standing in her old apartment revving up the engine of her motorcycle. Original Cindy came flying out of the room, practically tackling Max after she saw who was standing in her living room. After a few minutes of squealing and excitement Alec was finally introduced. He watched in amusement as OC looked him up and down.

"Boy, you so pretty you might even make me wanna bat for the other team," she finally approved.

"You're not so bad yourself," he flirted teasingly.

"I like him," Cindy told Max.

"Yeah, so do I."

"Yeah, I like me too. Can we get on with the aiding?" Alec threw in, feeling left out.

Cindy laughed and said goodnight, there would be plenty of time to catch up in the morning.

Max sat Alec down and started tending to his wounds, she knew that he would heal quickly but it would go better without risk of infection. She noticed that Alec sat still as a statue as she worked on him, not showing any pain. When she was done she cleared the stuff away and helped him get his shirt back on before she kissed him.

This kiss lasted longer then the others had. It started out soft and sweet before turning into a raging fire of passion and promise. The promise that they would go back, they would free their 'family', and they wouldn't rest until Manticore was nothing more than a pile of ash and brick.

_**-End-**_


	3. C Is For Cold

**A/N: This one was hard to write but it's what came out. **

**A huge thank you to "recicup" for your review! You're awesome =).**

**C Is For:**

**Cold**

It wasn't just cold it was freezing. He could no longer move his limbs, he watched as the light from the surface got farther and farther away while he sank slowly into the dark oblivion. He desperately tried to kick his legs, to move his arms but he just couldn't get them to work. It was too damn cold. Slowly his senses frosted over until he heard no more, felt no more, saw no more.

"Alec!" Max shrieked in terror. The events ran frantically through her mind, the rescue mission had been going off without a hitch. It had all been fine...until the second security team showed up. Logan's intel had been wrong, there was double the guard than expected. They were fighting them off they had the upper hand. They were stronger...faster. And then she heard the gunshot and she knew, she just knew, that it had hit him. Because it always did. He was a goddamn bullet magnet.

She knocked out the guard that she had been fighting and turned towards where she knew Alec was, her eyes widened in horror. Alec snapped the neck of the guard that had shot him before stumbling backwards. His brilliant green eyes were wide as they clashed with her chocolate ones, they were full of pain and shock. "No!" She gasped when he stumbled again and crashed through the giant window behind him. He was unable to regain his balance.

She started to run towards him but before she could get anywhere near where had just been standing three guards walked into her path, ganging up on her. She had no time for them and quickly dispatched them, for once not caring if she killed them or not. She only cared about one thing at the moment. She got to the window and looked out. The vast ocean spanned across this side of the building, the waves hit the rocky shore with a wild intensity. She turned and ran towards the stairwell with all the speed she was capable of.

"Max." Mole said, stepping in front of her.

"Alec's hurt. Set the charges, blow the building." She ordered.

Mole looked at her in surprise, "I don't think all the people are out yet." He informed her.

She glared at him, "Blow the building." She ordered again, steel in her tone.

Mole smirked, "Yes, Ma'am." For once happy with his orders. He fell back a couple of steps as Max rushed past him he was about to yell out at her when he realized what she had said, 'Alec's hurt.' The smirk fell off of his face and his eyes narrowed in stormy indignation. "Set the charges." He ordered hurriedly.

Max finally got to the bottom floor and raced out of the building, she looked over to the approximate area that Alec had fallen into. She didn't falter in her speed as she dived into the icy water. Her eyes scanned the ocean bottom frantically as she searched for her fallen friend. Her best friend. Alec had become everything to her. When Original Cindy was unable to stay in T.C. anymore because of the toxins, while her relationship with Logan was on a constant rollercoaster, as everything fell apart around her, Alec was always there. He was her rock, he was the reason that she found the strength to get up every morning. Losing him was not an option.

Her eyes finally located him and she swam faster than she ever had before, ignoring the bitter chill. She grabbed at his shoulders wrapping her arms around him as she quickly kicked up. She gulped in a deep breath as her head broke the surface, she couldn't concentrate on anything but Alec. She barely noticed when Joshua swam out next to her and grabbed Alec quickly taking him ashore. She didn't realize that her people were now all gathered around the ocean bank watching in anguish as the med team tried valiantly to revive him. She didn't see Logan step out of the van that held the surveillance equipment, didn't feel his latex covered hand grab hers in comfort. She didn't know that there were tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were on Alec's deathly pale face, on his unmoving chest.

She didn't want to hear what was said next but the words inevitably broke through her catatonic state, "Max." Shay, one of the medics, said. Her eyes were full of tears and Max could tell that she was barely keeping herself together. "I'm sorry." She whispered, but everyone could hear her anyway. The world stopped turning, there was no noise, even the animals stopped moving, stopped breathing.

"No." Someone croaked out, it took Max a second to realize that it was her. "No, no, no, no." She whispered the litany as she rushed to Alec's side. The transgenics and Logan watched as Max desperately started CPR on him herself. Tears were in the eyes of all the observers, including Mole who already felt the loss of his best friend and comrade. Logan's eyes were sad and jealous, he raged at himself for the selfish feeling but was unable to overcome it.

Joshua howled quietly as tears poured out of his eyes, he slowly walked over to his family and softly touched Max's shoulder. "Alec gone, little fella." He whimpered. His voice was sad but softly stern. Max stopped her motions and looked over at him, she brought Alec's body up to her chest cradling him as Joshua cradled her.

The building behind them exploded in heat and flame, No one looked back, they were all too focused on the tragic scene before them. Max didn't feel the warmth from the building. She felt only the cold.

They were all assembled in the graveyard where they had laid so many of their fallen friends before, the air was so much heavier, so much darker than it had been any of those other times. Original Cindy and Sketchy were there along with Normal who had a handkerchief in hand. Logan stood on the other side of the grave, distancing himself from his love. Alec wasn't really under the stone slab, they had burned him like he had wanted, but they needed the rock. They needed the physical representation of who he had been. They needed future people to know that Alec McDowel had existed.

Original Cindy looked over at her home girl, who was distorted through the tears that were gathered in her eyes, Max's face was expressionless but her eyes told of the sorrow that filled her. She knew that Max and Alec had loved each other, she also knew that they never got around to telling each other that little detail. She shared a look with Sketchy, who looked more serious and grave than she had ever seen him. Who could blame him, Alec had been his best friend after Herbal left. Alec had been a lot of people's best friend. She looked at the engraving on the head stone, it said what Max told them to make it say. It spoke the truth.

**Alec McDowel**

**2001-2021**

**The World Is A**

**Cold Place Without You.**

_-End-_


	4. D Is For Daughter

**A/N: Huge thanks to "****recicup" you totally rock. It was hard to kill Alec in the last one-shot but it was something that I had to do lol. Can't guarantee that it won't happen again either =/. Your "Disney girl" statement got me thinking and may have inspired an idea for a future one-shot so look out for that one =).**

**Thanks to everyone who's Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =).**

**D is For:**

**Daughter**

Max had been a lot of things in her 21 years, a soldier, a transgenic, a sister, a foster child, a working girl, a best friend and a girlfriend. She'd been all these things and played her roles flawlessly, acting the part was what she was good at. For all her acting and life experience there was still one thing that she had never been, one thing she didn't know how to be.

"I think of you as my daughter, Max. I think of all of you as my kids." Lydecker told her, looking sincere.

Max looked at him in disgust, "I am not your daughter, Lydecker." She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "But I understand that you consider me to be," she remedied. Now was not the time to start a fight.

Lydecker looked at her warily. "Yes, and I understand that you could never consider me a father. I also understand that you need something from me, so what can I do for you Max?"

"Logan told me that you have access to and know the layout of Wilson and Pierce pharmaceuticals," Max started. "They have a cure there that I need. Now," she finished.

"A cure for your virus?" Lydecker questioned.

"No. A cure for one of your kids," she spat before berating herself for her loss of composure.

That got Lydecker's attention, "Who?" he asked curiously. Max hesitated and Lydecker spoke again, "I won't sell you out, either of you, Max. I'm merely curious as to who you are keeping company with these days," he hurried to assure her.

Max considered her options carefully. She knew that she'd need to relent a bit in order to get Lydecker's cooperation. With as sigh and a prayer that she wouldn't be making a mistake she told him, "Alec. You'd know him as X5-494."

"494," Lydecker said in surprise.

"Yeah, what of it?" Max asked suspiciously.

"You mean other than him being Ben's clone and him having a general hatred of all the 09'ers?" Lydecker scoffed.

"What?" Max asked in surprise. Alec had shown some resentment towards her and her siblings but never hatred. Even in the beginning it hadn't been there.

"494 was Manticore's most promising soldier. He was everything we could have hoped for in a Commanding Officer and was even better solo. Unfortunately 494 spent about 2 years in Psy-Ops and reindoctrination as a child after your escape and another 6 months after Ben got...ill," Lydecker told her. "494 easily suffered the most of any of the twins after '09."

"He never told me that," Max said, more to herself than him. "Two years?"

"494 was in a position of power as CO, he was also very convincing. If he were a flight risk then he could have easily persuaded the rest of his unit to follow," Lydecker paused. "It surprises me that he would willingly befriend you." Lydecker laughed, "But then 494 was always unpredictable. I suppose that's what made him the best."

Max processed what she had just learned and filed it away in her mind's 'Alec' file. She would go over the information later right now she was on a time schedule and didn't have time for this. "Will you help me or not? Alec doesn't have time for this."

Lydecker paused briefly. "I can get you into the labs," he assured her. "How much time do we have?"

Max glanced down at her watch, "No more than 3 hours," she replied anxiously.

Lydecker nodded, his eyes steeled and face grim. "Better get moving then.

**~DA~**

Within thirty minutes Max and Lydecker were inside the labs, access was easily granted after Max knocked a few security guards out. "What are we looking for?" Lydecker asked as he scanned the long rows of vials.

"I'll know it when I see it," Max replied refusing to tell her former enemy anything more than necessary. "I'll look, you stand guard," she ordered, only briefly reveling in Lydecker taking her orders for a change.

Three rows later she finally caught sight of a large stock of the antidote, she took almost all of it. Never knew this was going to happen again and it doesn't hurt to be prepared. She was about to turn back to Lydecker when her eyes fell upon several large bottles of tryptophan-these people owed her, she figured before cleaning out their stock. "Lets go," she said as she strode over to the doors.

They were almost clear of the building when three security guards came around the corner, immediately their guns were pointed at the intruders. Max sighed in frustration, they were cutting it close. Alec didn't have time for this. Without a second thought Max blurred forward and disarmed two of the guards easily, knocking them unconscious. The third man managed to squeeze of a shot that barely missed Max. Lydecker caught the man's arm and twisted it making him drop the gun. Max punched him in the nose and the guy sagged down.

They quickly made their way outside and five minutes later were seated safely inside Lydecker's SUV and racing towards Seattle. Max was anxious to get back to Logan's apartment where she had left Alec. Lydecker glanced at Max out of the corner of his eye, she was staring out the window, her leg jumping up and down in anxiousness. He didn't know what the relationship was between she and 494 but there was obviously something there. Lydecker thought of Logan, he liked the guy, he had guts, but in the end his kids belonged with each other. Only another transgenic could understand everything that they had been through, Lydecker knew this, he knew that 49-Alec had learned that lesson, he wondered if Max and Logan had figured it out yet.

After what seemed like an eternity Max was surprised to see Lydecker pulling up to Logan's' building. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and narrowed eyes.

Lydecker shrugged, "We met here a few times while Manticore still had you," he said as he exited the car.

Max nodded but said nothing as she made her way into Logan's apartment as quickly as she could without gaining unwanted attention. She threw the door open and walked determinedly towards the couch where Alec lay. When she got there she but a hand on his forehead, his fever was dangerously high, even for a transgenic, and he was unconscious.

"He lost consciousness about an hour ago." Logan said softly from behind her. Fear flickered through her eyes and she didn't notice Lydecker walk up to Logan. She grabbed a needle filling it with the clear liquid that would cure him, if she wasn't too late, before expertly injecting it into his arm. Now all they could do is wait. Max slumped down with her back against the couch, close enough that she could feel him but far enough that she didn't crowd him and make him even hotter.

**~DA~**

It had been five hours since Max had administered the cure and the only change had been the abating fever. Max was getting even more antsy.

Lydecker had been carefully observing Max with Alec and finally had to ask, "Are they together?" he questioned Logan, nodding at the transgenic couple.

Pain and sorrow flashed through Logan's eyes. "Yes. Just the last month or so," Logan told him. He had accepted that he and Max were never going to get their chance, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt like hell.

"I have to admit that I never saw those two having a civil conversation, let along dating," Lydecker laughed.

Logan grinned, "The civil thing took a bit of time," he admitted. Lydecker chuckled and shook his head before studying the transgenics before him again.

They made a perfect looking pair. Both physically perfect specimens. He knew from experience with both of them that they thought similarly though the way they did things were different. Max was family oriented and looked for justice for anyone who deserved it. Alec was more comfortable in solo-ops and only looked out for those that he deemed worthy. They were both unpredictable. Lydecker couldn't even count how many times Alec had deviated from his mission parameters in order to downsize the collateral damage, he had the highest survival rate of any other solo-ops transgenics.

Max always zigged when you thought she'd zag, unless it had to do with family-they were her weakness. Alec had that same problem but being strategic minded as he was he hadn't let it conflict with his mission 9 times out of 10. Their loyalty towards their species is what entwined them. Lydecker knew that if these two transgenics worked together and put their pasts behind them then together they would be unstoppable.

**~DA~**

Max sat up straighter when she felt Alec shift on the couch above her for the first time in too long. She turned around and watched as his eyes slowly fluttered open. His head turned towards her and he managed a smile. "Hey Maxie," he croaked out.

Max grinned widely for the first time in days. "It's Max," she replied as usual before smashing her lips to his. Alec gasped in surprised before lifting a heavy arm to he back of her head, pulling her closer.

Lydecker smiled at the sight in front of him. Guess he'd have to start thinking about Alec as a son now. He figured Max could do a lot worse. Silently he nodded to a devastated Logan and slipped out the door.

Max knew that there was a lot from their pasts that they needed to work through but she was confident that they could do it. She knew that for this man in front of her she'd play daughter a million times over.

_**-End-**_


	5. E Is For Enough

**A/N: Thanks to "recicup" for your review! I'll be sure to post a warning on any chapter with a character death =). **

**Thank you to everyone who's Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =). Sorry it took awhile to update this, hectic work schedule. Hopefully the next update will be faster =).**

**E Is For:**

**Enough**

Alec sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He looks around his apartment one last time before picking up his bag and leaving it behind. He was never meant to stay in one place for so long, was never meant to find family and friends. It's just not who he is. As he walks out into the bitingly cold night air he gives one more glance towards the space needle, he can see her there, sitting at the edge watching the tiny people passing by below her. He swings his leg over his motorcycle, secures his bag, and brings the engine to a roar.

He told Normal yesterday that he'd be leaving town, making up a family emergency. Normal wished him well and told him that his job was secure for whenever he came back, Alec didn't tell him that he has no plans for returning. He has one last stop to make before he leaves Seattle for good.

Twenty minutes later Alec is walking into Joshua's house. "Josh! You here buddy?" he calls out.

"In here Medium fella," Joshua replies from the kitchen. "Hungry?" the dog-man asks.

"No, I'm just here to drop these off," Alec says putting a sack full of paints and brushes down on the table. Joshua opens the bag and almost howls his delight. "And to say goodbye," he says slowly.

"Goodbye?" Joshua asks, his head swinging up from inspecting the paints. "Medium fella goin' on trip?"

"Kinda," Alec chuckles.

"Alec not coming back," Joshua says seriously, his eyes sad.

"No Josh, I'm not comin' back," Alec confirms.

"Where will you go?"

"I dunno yet," Alec replies, his eyes glazing over in thought. He snaps out of it and grins. "I always wanted to go to New Orleans, check out the parties."

"Alec tell little fella?" Joshua asks.

"No, she'll figure it out," Alec laughs. Assuming she notices that he's missing in the first place. "Listen bud, I gotta go."

"Alec should stay," Joshua says, once again using the transgenics name, something he rarely did anymore.

"I can't," Alec replies with a shake of his head.

"Alec check in, then," Joshua demands.

"Yeah, okay Josh. I'll send postcards," Alec grins clapping his friend on the back before he turns and leaves the house, mounting his bike and putting Seattle far behind him.

_**~DA~**_

Max gracefully dismounts from her bike and walks into Joshua's house. The weekends were always her favorite time of the week, no work and lots of play. When she wasn't doing some mission for Logan, anyway. Which is actually why she's here now, she'd been looking everywhere for Alec. This weeks mission was a two man job, she needed Alec for it. She's hoping that he'll be visiting with Joshua.

"Joshua?" she calls out. As she walks into the living room she see's her friend. He's painting on a large canvas, dark colors swirl with flashes of green and blue. Beside him is a large bag filled with paints and brushes, she wonders if Alec dropped that off for him. In beat with his brush swipes are gentle whines coming from Joshua himself. Max frowns and moves forwards. "Joshua, what's wrong?" she asks softly.

Joshua stops painting and turns towards her, "Hello little fella," he says with a small smile. He wonders if she knows yet.

"Hi big fella," Max replies with a smile. "Hey, have you seen Alec? I need to talk to him."

Joshua lets out an almost inaudible whine as his eyes sadden, "Medium fella gone," he tells her.

"Yeah, I didn't think he was here anymore. Do you know where he went? Crash, his place, a strip joint maybe?" she asks, her voice taking on a bitter tone as she made her last suggestion.

"No, Max," Joshua says, surprising her with the use of her name. "Alec leave town, leave Seattle. Gone," he elaborates.

Max eyes turned angry, fire dancing in them. "When?" she asks, figuring that she'd only missed him by a couple hours.

"Two days ago," the dogman tells her. Max's eyes widen, two days means that he could be anywhere.

"Do you know where he is going?" Max asks desperately.

"Alec didn't know yet. Said he wanted to party in New Orleans," Joshua tells her, tripping over the name of the city.

"Thanks big fella," Max says turning around.

"Max," Joshua calls out. "Alec don't wanna be found," he tells her. He gestures to his painting. "Too much hurt here. Alec feels like he's suffocating. Needs to be free, out there free."

Max was silent for a second. "He told you that?"

"Didn't have to, I can see it," Joshua says.

"I need to find him, Joshua. I don't care what he wants," Max says determinedly.

"Maybe that's why he left," Joshua says sadly. "Everyone wants Alec to do everything for them, no one asks what Alec wants."

"That's-" Max wanted to finish her sentence, say that it's not true. But she couldn't honestly say that, could she? How many times did she hang out with Alec when she didn't want something from him? How many times did she do something that he wanted to do? "I have to find him, I won't force him to do anything, Josh. Don't worry," she said with a small smile when she saw Joshua about to protest. "I just need to talk to him."

Joshua nods and smiles softly to himself as Max rushes out of his house. Little fella would make Medium fella alright, and then they could all be a family again. The only family Joshua and Alec had ever had. He hopes that Max understands that.

_**~DA~**_

"Logan!" Max calls out as she enters her not-like-that boyfriends apartment.

"Hey you," Logan says with a smile as he walks out from his kitchen.

"Hey," Max replies shortly. "I need your help."

"Okay," Logan says, his eyes filled with concern. "What is it?"

"You can track the GPS on a cell phone, right?" she asks.

"Yes, who do you need me to track down?" he asks.

"Alec," Max responds hurriedly.

"Alec? What did he get himself into this time?" Logan asks with a roll of his eyes.

Max looks at him angrily, "Nothing. He left Seattle, I need to find him. It's not safe out there, and he's one of White's most wanted."

Logan looks at her in surprise, "Okay, two minutes." And it really probably was only two minutes but to Max it felt like an eternity. "He's in Las Vegas, Nevada," Logan tells her. "No surprise there," he mutters with a chuckle.

"Page me if it changes," Max calls out, already almost out of the door.

"Be safe," he whispers to the empty room.

_**~DA~**_

Alec laughs quietly at the images on the TV screen, he's been in Vegas for the last few hours. He's already hit a couple casinos staying just long enough to fill his pockets and not gain the attention of the surveillance and security staff. After all, card counting, while not illegal, is heavily frowned upon. He chose to stay in a nicer hotel than he would have usually picked but, what the hell? It's Sin City.

He straightens up and grabs his gun from the end table when he hears a knock on the door. He hasn't ordered room service, then again Ames White and his cronies aren't really ones to knock. He silently walks over to the door, taking a deep breath and keeping a finger on the trigger he pulls it open. The intruder is the last person he'd expect it to be.

"Max. What the hell are you doin' here?" Alec asks in dismay.

"What am I doing here? What are you doin' here, Alec?" Max questions angrily, as she shoves past him. He sighs and closes the door, making sure to lock it before turning to her.

"I'm enjoying the night life. How'd you find me?"

"Logan tracked your phone," Max answers.

Alec pulls his phone out of his pocket and looks at it for a moment, "I knew I should have ditched you," He mutters.

"Joshua's worried about you," Max says, trying to read his face.

"Josh knows that I can take care of myself. He seemed perfectly fine when I told him goodbye," Alec says, not believing her.

"Yeah, and about that, why the hell didn't you bother to tell anyone else that you were blazin'?" Max demands.

"I did. I told Normal," Alec smirks.

"It's dangerous for you to be out on your own, Alec. And whether you want the responsibility or not you have people depending on you back home," Max tells him, desperate for him to understand.

"Keeping on the move is less dangerous than staying in the frying pan, Max. And who exactly do I have depending on me?" he scoffs. "It's you who that has taken everyone in, I was just along for the ride. They all depend on you."

"That's not true," Max argues, "Joshua depends on you. Cindy and Sketchy depend on you. You are the only person that Mole and most of the others in T.C. respects and listens too. I depend on you," She lists, her voice lowering as she names herself.

"Of course, I forgot. What would the Ice Queen do without her portable punching bag?" Alec laughs.

Fire ignites in Max's eyes, and she has to restrain herself from hitting him and proving his statement correct. "That's not what I meant, and you know it," she accuses. "Come home with me Alec. I don't have anyone else."

Alec raises an eyebrow. "You have everyone else, Max. Cindy, Sketch, Josh, Logan."

"They don't understand, Alec. They can't. You told me that once, and you were right. Cindy tries, Logan pretends like it's not there, Sketchy is oblivious, and Joshua...he was holed up in the basement for most of his life. You're the only one, the only friend I have that understands," Max points out in frustration.

"It's funny, you callin' me a friend. I've never seen you treat Cin, Logan, or hell, even Sketch as shitty as you do me," Alec chuckles, his eyes hard and cold and Max flinches. "And maybe I do understand you, what you've been through. But you will never be able to understand me, Max."

"What?" she asks in surprise.

"Cindy, Logan, and Josh can't understand you because they weren't there, they didn't experience the same things that you did. But you left Max, you ran off before the worst of it. Yeah sure, you had to undergo a bit of torture, had to murder a few people. But you weren't there when it got bad, I was. I can understand you. You will never understand me, not really," Alec informs her.

Max bites her lip, she hates that he's right. "And you'll never give me the chance."

Alec looks at her in surprise. "When have you ever indicated that you'd like the chance?" he asks incredulously.

Max stands up straighter, "I'm indicating now," she says firmly. "I know I wasn't there Alec, but I'm not oblivious. I see it in your eyes, all the pain and anger that you carry around and try to hide. I know that I have not been a good friend, but I can change that. I will change that. You, Joshua, and me...we're family." Alec watches warily as she moves closer to him, he's already up against the door and can't move back any farther. "Come home with me Alec," she repeats as she closes the space between them and pulls him to her.

She wasn't lying when she said that she saw the pain in his eyes, he is good at hiding it. Hell, he probably hides it from himself as well, but it's there. She's been able to see it since she found out about Rachel, since she started watching him more closely. She didn't want to see it, didn't want to admit to herself that for all his swagger and talk he was lost in a strange world, struggling to adapt. Watching the people around him and conforming to them. She doesn't want to wonder what's beneath all of his masks but she can't help herself. She puts her arms around him and feels him stiffen, but she's not letting go.

Alec holds himself still and stiff. "Max, What are you doing?"

"I'm hugging you," Max says quietly.

Alec rolls his eyes. "Yes, but why?"

"Because you need it as much as I do," she says honestly. She lets him go and steps back. "Come home with me Alec. Come back to your friends and family. Give us a chance to get to know you." Max can see the moment that his resolve crumbles, he nods slightly.

"We can go home tomorrow. I wanna hit a couple more casinos tonight," he mutters.

_**~DA~**_

Joshua smiles to himself as he watches Max, Logan, Original Cindy, and Alec eat their meals. Mac'n'cheese with little little hot dogs. Max had brought Alec back a week ago, and although things were still a little strained it was getting better. Max no longer took out every negative emotion out on Alec, and she was slowly moving her way into his life. Joshua sees Max leaving Logan behind as she follows her heart to the person that she was always meant to have. Logan sees it too, and although Joshua feels for the man he can't help but be happy with the way events are unfolding.

Alec still keeps everything bottled inside and to himself, but he is slowly starting to realize that Max, Cindy and Joshua really do want to know him. Joshua's smile widens as Max and Alec laugh at OC's joke. There is still a lot of progress to be made but it doesn't matter on nights like this.

On nights like tonight the camaraderie between the group of them is enough.

**_-End-_**


	6. F Is For Frosting

**A/N- Huge thanks to 'recicup" for your review! I'm so glad you think I got Joshua's character right! Thanks to everyone who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =)**

**F Is For:**

**Frosting**

They all try to get together for dinner every week or two. This time is more special than usual as it's Original Cindy's birthday. Max went over to Joshua's early that day and helped him make chicken and potatoes. Logan's was to bring pasta, wine, and he insisted on making a cake, while Alec was assigned to bring chips, drinks, and other goodies. OC isn't obligated to bring anything, of course.

Logan, Max and Joshua sit in the living room talking and laughing while they wait anxiously for Cindy and Alec to arrive. After what seems like forever they hear the front door open, followed by Alec's voice and OC's laughter. Logan and Max share a look.

"Happy Birthday!" they should in unison as Cindy walks into the room.

Original Cindy jumps in surprise before laughing, "Thank you guys," she says with a warm smile. She looks over to Alec who has two bags of food in his arms, "This is why you had to go on an emergency food run for Joshua?" she laughs with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep. You know, I just hate shopping alone. Thanks for joining me," he replies with a smirk. He sets one of the bags on the table, the other he takes into the kitchen.

Max stands up and gives her best friend a hug, "Happy birthday, boo. Dinner'll be ready in 'bout an hour."

"Thanks, Max," Cindy says quietly. It has been a long time since she's had a nice birthday. Every year it is the same, just another day crumbling under poverty and greed.

"Ham hocks!" Joshua howls out in excitement, taking his beloved food product out of the bag Alec brought.

"And for the rest of us there's chips, soda, and pork rinds." Alec smirks as he walks back into the living room. Max smiles at him briefly before going through the bag. He has bought a good selection, sour cream and onion, barbeque, jalapeño and sour cream, regular potato chips, corn chips with dips and salsa.

"How'd you get your hands on these?" Max asks, impressed.

Alec smiles mischievously, "I know a guy who knows a guy, who owes me."

"You called in one of your favors for me, hot boy?" Original Cindy asks with a smile.

"Yeah, well. I had to cash in someday, might as well be now," he says offhandedly. Cindy's smile widens as he turns away from her. For someone who loves to be the center of attention he sure has issues accepting a simple thank you. A lot like Max in that respect.

"I think you're trying to make us all fat with all this junk food, Alec," Logan says, Max can hear the condescension in his tone.

Alec narrows his eyes briefly before smirking, "Dunno 'bout you, Logie, but Josh, Max and I can't get fat," he answers in delight. He turns to OC, "Sorry Cin," he apologizes with a helpless shrug.

"Whatever, baby boo. Original Cindy don't care if she gets fat as long as she gets some of these," she replies with a smirk of her own. She honestly doesn't know why Logan continues to come over for these dinners now that Max told him she is with Alec.

"Logan shouldn't eat, if he's worried about getting fat," Joshua points out through a mouthful of food. Alec, Max and Cindy laugh while Logan scowls.

Alec sits down by Max and throws an arm around her, not touching her but giving the illusion of possessiveness for Logan's enjoyment. Max watches the domestic scene in relative silence, she enjoys being able to just kick back and hang out with her friends in the middle of the chaos that's her life. She's also happy that Original Cindy seems to be having a good time. She had been surprised when Alec came up to her a couple days ago...

_**Flashback:**_

_"Hey Max," Alec calls out from behind her._

_"Hey Alec," she replies with a small smile, "What's up?"_

_"I hear OC's birthday is on Friday," he says, surprising her._

_"Yeah, I guess it is," she replies feeling horrible for forgetting about it._

_"I was thinkin' that we could have a birthday dinner for her at Josh's on Friday. The gang's throwin' a party at Crash after work but if we do a late dinner, then..."_

_"Joshua could celebrate too," Max finishes his thought._

_"Yeah," he agrees._

_"Sounds good, we can talk through the details later," she suggests._

_"Cool, gotta go. Normal's sendin' me out to sector 12," he says._

_"Ohh, is the golden boy losin' his edge?" she teases. _

_"Hah, not likely," he scoffs. "No, Taylor had to leave early, his kid is sick and he asked me to cover," he explains as he mounts his bike. "I'll see ya later," he calls out as he peddles away. Max stares after him surprise, Alec has changed a lot since Manticore was first destroyed. She's pulled out of her thoughts when she hears the annoying beeping of her pager, looking down she sees Logan's number staring back at her. Sighing she continues working, she'd go see him tonight._

_**~DA~**_

_Later that evening finds Max picking the lock to Logan's door, "Hey," she calls out as she enters his apartment. She finds him over at his computer, as usual. "I got your page._

_"Hey Max," he replies, his eyes are glittering in excitement. "I got this lead on Raphael Rodriguez."_

_Max looks at him blankly, "Who?"_

_"The mob boss," he hints with a wave of his arm. Max vaguely remembers Logan talking about this man before and nods. "He's going to be doing a weapons trade with some people who won't pay unless he shows up in person on Friday. We can finally nail him," he rushes to explain. Max shakes her head and opens her mouth but Logan continues talking, "So I figure you and Alec," his voice drops slightly as he says his name. "can be there to get video and audio, then Eye's Only can blow the lid on his operation."_

_"We can't, Logan," Max interrupts._

_"What? Look, I know that you and Alec have a lot to do between looking after T.C. and maintaining your relationship, but I still need your help," Logan pauses, "You owe me that, Max," he says quietly._

_Guilt overpowers her anger at his last whispered statement, ever since she had let Logan believe that she was dating Alec everything has been weird, especially since Logan insists on going to the dinner with Cindy, Alec, Joshua and her, forcing her and Alec to act like a couple which was annoying to them and amusing to Cindy and Joshua. "We can't go because we're throwing a birthday dinner for Original Cindy on Friday," she tells him quietly._

_"Can't you move it to Saturday?" Logan asks." This is important, Max."_

_"So is my best friend's birthday," Max snaps._

_Logan raises his hands placating, "Okay, I'm sure we can get him another time," he says reluctantly. "What time is dinner?"_

_Max hesitates before answering, she doesn't want him to come but he always finds out about the dinners anyway. She figures that he bribing Joshua for the info, giving him ham hocks or paints or something. "Usual time. I'm making chicken and potatoes with Joshua. The Jam Pony gang is throwing a party for her at Crash so Alec's going to bring her to Joshua's afterwards. He'll bring chips and other snacks," she tells him._

_"Okay, I'll bring pasta, wine, and a cake," Logan offers._

_"Alec's got the cake taken care of," she replies._

_Logan smiles mockingly, "Think of it as a backup, just in case he forgets."_

_Max's eyes blaze at his thinly veiled insult, "Bring the damn cake if you want, but Alec's got in covered," she grits out before swiftly leaving the penthouse._

_**~DA~**_

_They've been at Crash since work ended earlier that day and Alec checks his watch, it's time to get goin', he still has to meet his contact before going to Josh's place. "Cindy, I gotta go meet a contact, get myself some food. Interested in joining me? I'll let you have anything you choose...except my pork rinds," he smirks. He knows that she's been looking' for a way outta here for awhile. Guess she can only handle so much of these people before she gets antsy._

_"Sure thing, hot boy," she replies with a smile. He has no idea where the nickname came from but he doesn't ask. It's not like it's a horrible one to be stuck with._

_They make their way through the city quickly, luckily for him he has to meet his contact in the same sector that Josh's house is in, so it'll be easy enough. "This ain't gonna put Original Cindy in any danger, is it?" the dark haired woman asks from beside him._

_"No, it's all legitimate. We are gonna need to stop by Joshua's before I walk you home, though. I promised the guy some ham hocks," he says with a smile._

_Original Cindy gives him a small shove, "You goin' all gentlemanly on me, Alec? Walkin' me home?" she laughs._

_"Well, it is your birthday," he justifies, causing her to smile and shake her head._

_The meeting with his contact goes quickly and soon enough their on Joshua's porch. "Needless to say, they won't be bothering anyone again," Alec says, finishing telling her about one of his more recent adventures can causing OC to laugh as they walk into the house towards the living room._

_"Happy Birthday!" _

_**End Flashback.**_

That dinner was delicious is the one thing everyone agreed on. "That was a damn fine meal, boo," Original Cindy says happily.

"Yeah, Max, you're a regular Martha Stewart," Logan agrees.

"Who?" Alec and Max ask. They look at each other and grin.

"It was great, Max. Fantastic job, Josh," Alec praises. Joshua howls his thank you.

"Good pasta, Logan," Joshua adds.

"Thanks Joshua." He is a bit disappointed that he and Josh seem to have been the only people to have had some.

"Cake time," Alec exclaims, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Alec and Logan get up to go get their respective cakes while Max and an insistent Cindy clear the dinner dishes.

After Max and Cindy are seated again Logan and Alec bring their cakes to the table. Alec's cake is lined with lit candles while Logan's' is fire-less. "Make a wish," Alec grins.

Original Cindy smiles and closes her eyes for a few seconds before opening them and blowing out the candles, removing them from the cake, "Thanks, baby boo," she says warmly, using her other nickname for him...another one that he has no idea of its origins. She looks over at the other man,

"Thank you, Logan," she tells him while everyone takes a look at the cake he brought.

Alec breaks the silence first, "Dude, where's the frosting?" he asks.

Max almost chokes on her laughter at his blunt question as she looks from Logan's frosting less cake over to Alec's frosting covered cake.

"It's healthier without frosting," Logan says with a shrug.

"Yeah...but who care about health on a birthday?" he asks in confusion.

It is then, as Logan tries to defend himself, that Max has an epiphany. The cakes that the two men brought represent them as people. Logan's is plain, boring, uncovered, there for all to see. Alec's is excessive and sweet, completely hiding the inner layers,

The difference between the two men is that Alec has frosting and Logan doesn't. She catches Original Cindy's looking at her with a knowing expression on her face, it seems that her friend has already figured this out.

_**~DA~**_

By the end of that night Alec's cake was all but demolished while Logan's cake was complete but for single missing slice.

_**-End-**_


	7. G Is For Girl

**A/N: Big thanks to "recicup" and "Zen007" for your reviews! Thanks to everyone else who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert. =)**

**Warning: There's a couple of cuss words in this one, just in case anyone is opposed.**

**G Is For:**

**Girl**

Max sits across from Sketchy in Crash and watches as girl after girl goes up to Alec, drawn to him like a moth is to flame. She watches as Alec smiles and flirts with every last one of them, it also doesn't escape her notice that all the girls end up leaving the bar disappointed, just to have another candidate fill her empty bar stool.

Max wonders why he turns them all away, "Man, Alec gets all the tail, and he just wastes it," Sketchy complains.

"Why?" Max can't help but ask.

"Beats me," Sketchy replies with a shrug before getting up and going after the last girl Alec turned down.

Max rolls her eyes at her friends lack of help and continues watching. It's only after he turns down a few more girls that she notices he keeps stealthily glancing in the mirror behind the bar at something behind him. She follows his eye line and freezes. Logan.

Logan, who thinks that she's dating Alec. Logan who is currently glaring at the back of Alec's head. And Alec, who is turning all the girls away to keep up appearances so that it doesn't look like he's cheating on her.

What is Logan doing here anyway? Crash has never been his ideal hang out. She curses quietly to herself when he catches her eye in the mirror. He stands up and moves towards her. She rolls her eyes and prepares herself for the awkwardness that's about to ensue.

"Hey Max," he greets with a soft smile.

"Logan," she replies shortly. "What're you doing here?"

"I thought I should get out of the penthouse for awhile. Fresh air and all that," Logan tells her with a smile.

"A noisy crowded nightclub that smells like sweat isn't exactly the best place to find fresh air," she tells him, raising an eyebrow.

Logan's grin falters a bit. "Fair point," he concedes. "I notice that the women are swarming Alec," he says smugly, changing the subject.

Max locks eyes with him and smiles. "Yeah. And I notice that they all walk away Alec-less," she replies, matching his tone. She wishes that he could see that she is doing this for his own good.

"Doesn't stop him from flirting with them, does it?" Logan points out.

"Stop, Logan. Just stop," she tells him tiredly.

Logan slides into the chair across from her. "You deserve better than him, Max. I could be better than him. Hell, I am better than him. You deserve someone who will love you, not someone who will always be one step away from going home with another woman," Logan says desperately.

Alec may not be a model citizen but he doesn't deserve to have Logan raggin' on him, it's pissing Max off. "You don't know what you're talking about, Logan. Besides I seem to remember a certain amount of flirting between you and Asha," Max sneers. She looks over to Alec and sees him watching them through the mirror. She pleads wordlessly for him to save her and hopes that he gets the message.

Her attention was drawn back to Logan as he starts speaking again, "It was innocent flirting, Max. Nothing was ever going to come out of it," he explains as if it would absolve him.

"And nothing will come out of any flirting that I do," Alec snapped from behind him. Max sighs in relief and Logan spins around.

"Alec," Logan says, guilt seeping into his voice.

"Hey buddy. Trashing my name behind my back is a cowards move," he says with a cold smirk.

Logan bristles. "I haven't said anything that Max doesn't already know. She's too good for you, Alec. You don't deserve her," he replies icily.

Max's eyes widen, she watches as anger and hurt flash briefly in Alec's eyes before his walls slam up. He smiles and looks at her. "Ready to go? Don't wanna be late," he asks, giving her an out that she eagerly takes.

"Yeah. Let's go," she says, getting up and grabbing her jacket.

"Max," Logan says, reaching for her. She jerks out of his reach and glares at him.

"Enough Logan. I'm with Alec now. I _choose_ to be with Alec, so back the fuck off and deal with it," she spits out angrily. Turning to Alec she leans into his side forcing him to put an arm around her as they walk out of Crash together.

"I'm sorry about all of this," Max speaks up, moving away from him as they walk out into the cool night air.

Alec shrugs. "It's not like I didn't agree to go along with it. It's all part of playing the bad guy," he says tiredly. "'Sides, not like I can blame the guy," he chuckles.

Max shakes her head. "He went to far."

Alec nods. "Maybe. But he isn't wrong, he's definitely the better guy," he replies with a self-deprecating smirk. "I'm gonna head home, got a headache. Goodnight, Maxie," he says with a smile, already on his bike an roaring away before she can say anything.

_**~DA~**_

Max is sitting on her couch, her hair is pulled up in a lazy bun and she's donned on a pair of sweats. In her hands is a hard-to-get cup of hot cocoa, she's lost in her thoughts until she hears the apartment door open and close.

"Hey boo," she greets her roommate.

"Hey Max. Sketchy tells me that you and Alec left Crash arm in arm after you had a fight with Logan," Original Cindy says. "Everything a'iight, boo?"

Max rolls her eyes at the rate that gossip was passed around and sighs. "Logan was rippin' on Alec, telling' me that he isn't good enough for me. He said that Alec could never love me like he can. Alec came over to rescue me and Logan said some things he shouldn't have…it's been a long night," she explains, leaning her head against the back of the couch in exhaustion.

"What things?" Cindy asks, correctly latching onto the part of the night that's bothering her friend.

"Just that I'm better than Alec, that he doesn't deserve me," Max looks up and locks eyes with Cindy's sympathetic ones. "He believes him too."

"Alec?"

"Yeah."

Cindy sighs and speaks up, "Your boy isn't as secure with himself and this life as he acts, Max. Twelve years ago you were him, only you were a kid were able to adapt easier. Alec carries a lot of baggage around from his Manticore days."

Max knows that Cindy's right, her boo is surprisingly perceptive for an ordinary. Max shakes her head. "It's not like it matters anyway, Alec and I are only pretending to date."

"For now anyway," Original Cindy muttered with a knowing smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Max asks.

"Oh, come one boo! You 'n' Alec were made for each other. You like him more than you like to admit and I'd bet a years paycheck that he feels the same about you. Why else do you think Logan's words hit so close to home?"

"You're wrong, Cin. Alec and I aren't like that," Max protests.

Original Cindy raises an eyebrow. "You mean like you and Logan "_weren't like that_"?" she asks with amusement dancing in her eyes. "You might not see it yet, boo, but it's there," she states confidently before heading into her room and leaving Max to her thoughts.

_**~DA~**_

High above the world Max sits on the Space Needle pondering Original Cindy's words. She couldn't stay in her apartment any longer so she went to the only place where she could think clearly.

She can't deny that she was jealous of all the girls lining up for a smile or a quip from Alec earlier. Can't deny that he's insanely-inhumanly-gorgeous. Can't deny that while cocky and sarcastic he genuinely cares for her, Joshua, their friends at work and any transgenic they come across.

She can't deny that there's truth to Original Cindy's words. So, With that in mind, she stands up and quickly leaves the Space needle. She swings onto her Ninja and starts it up with one destination in mind.

_**~DA~**_

Alec groans when a knock at his door wakes him up. He rolls out of bed, pulling on a pair of jeans as he does so and walks towards the door.

"Max," he says sleepily. "What's wrong?"

Max smiles and walks in, trying not to let his uncovered rock hard abs distract her. "I wanted to talk to you," she tells him.

"Can't it wait until morning?" he asks warily.

She ignores this and turns to face him. "Logan is wrong."

Alec's eyes grow serious. "Max-"

"No, listen. I haven't been good to you…ever. The only home you ever knew was just blown up and you were forced into a world that you didn't completely understand. I was just like you once, I remember what it's like. I was alone…what I didn't realize is that you've been alone too. I should have helped you adjust and instead I just yelled at you for everything that went wrong," she pauses and takes a breath, forcing herself to continue, "I'm not better than you. I've just lived in this world longer. And, honestly? I only stopped stealing recreationally after I met Logan and her filled me up with all his moral bullshit," she confesses.

"I knew it," Alec smirks.

"Yeah, you got me," she replies with a smile. "Anyway I came here to tell you that Logan is wrong and that I'm not a prize to be won, I'm not something that's 'deserved'. I'm just a girl."

Alec laughs. "Face it, Maxie, you'll never be 'just a girl' just like I'll never be 'just a boy'."

Max smiles. "Touché," she pauses again and takes another deep breath, "There's something else…"

"Yeah?" he asks.

'_What the hell'_ she thinks before moving closer to him and pulling his head down meeting his lips with hers. She can tell that she's shocked him but it doesn't take long for him to start responding.

Hot sparks race through her body as she thinks that she's never experienced something so passionate. Alec breaks the kiss, much to her dismay. "Max?"

"I'm just a girl, Alec," she tells him. "But I really wouldn't mind being your girl," she finishes, breath held in anticipation.

"My girl?" he repeats.

"Of course, in trade you'll have to by my guy. Which means no other girls, flirting, or strippers…" she rambles, desperate for him to say something.

He leans down and kisses her again before breaking it. "Deal," he agrees huskily.

Max grins and jumps on him, wrapping her legs around his waist and attacking his lips again. Alec blindly reached out and swung the door shut as they made their way further into his apartment.

_**~DA~**_

From that day on Max and Alec were a team. They worked together better than ever and Max knew that she'd made the right choice. She wouldn't give up the thrill of being "Alec's girl" for the world.

_**-End-**_


	8. H Is For Hero

**A/N: Thank you "recicup" and "DGfleetfox" (I agree about the chemistry) for your reviews! Sorry for the wait, this one is a bit longer than usual =). Thanks to everyone else who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =).**

**Warning: (Somewhat) Minor Character Death.**

**H Is For:**

**Hero**

X5-494 has never even thought of considering himself a hero, in the loosest definition of the term. A Killer? Yes. A Spy? Definitely. A hero? Never. It didn't matter though because 494 was damn good at his job. He's the best assassin Manticore ever created, top of the line.

As such, 494 has never failed a complete a mission. His multiple trips to Psy-Ops had been because of his traitorous twin X5-493. But right now, in this moment, he's never wanted so badly to play hero and abandon his mission.

And he does…only he does it wrong. In the limited time he had to get Rachel and her father the hell out of dodge he says the wrong things and instead of running away from death she runs towards it.

The car explodes with Rachel and Mr. Berrisford caught in the blast. 494 suppresses his tumultuous emotions just long enough to run away and avoid the soldiers coming after him. The soldiers sent after him because Manticore had anticipated his fall from grace.

_**~DA~**_

He sits in a bar somewhere in Seattle, Washington drowning himself in glass after glass of scotch trying determinedly to reach that mind numbing state of bliss that ordinaries seem so fond of. It isn't working. He figures that his metabolism is too quick for the amber substance to work it's magic.

So entrenched his is in his thoughts that he almost doesn't notice the blonde guy that's come up to him. "What the hell are you doing here, Ben?" he hisses.

494 lazily looks over at the blonde and raises an eyebrow. "You got the wrong guy, buddy. I've never heard of 'Ben'," 494 informs him.

He feels more than sees the blonde tense up. "Who are you?" he growls out.

494, now equally suspicious and really not in the mood for any drama, smirks and quips, "Sorry dude, I don't swing that way." Then he's up, paying for his slew of drinks and leaving. He knows the blonde is following him-which really only serves to piss him off even more.

He knows that the man won't try anything in the crowded bar so he slowly meanders towards the exit, thinking about the conversation.

Blondie had called him Ben which suggests that he looks like this Ben guy, As soon as 494 had corrected him the guy got defensive. The clues, while not large in number, pointed towards Manticore. He had a twin that escaped in '09, that could be Ben which would mean that blondie is an '09er.

Once outside the bar and away from curious eyes 494 makes his move. He swiftly turns and kicks out, throwing the man against the brick building. He blurs closer and grabs blondie in a chokehold. "Who the hell are you?" 494 snaps.

"Zack!" someone yells out from their left. A girl blurs quickly towards them. Just as she's about to attack, 494 drops "Zack" and punches the girl away from him. He drops into a defensive crouch across from them and watches their exchange.

"You shouldn't be here, Max," Zack grits out, not taking his eyes off of 494.

Max ignores him. "Who is this?" she asks.

Zack studies him intently. "Good question, he looks just like Ben,"

494 watches as Max's eyes soften. "You know where Ben is?" she asks hopefully. Zack takes his eyes off 494 to glare at Max, whose eyes harden again.

"You must be a twin…which means you're still Manticore," she says almost to herself. 494 stays silent, looking for exit routes. Max's eyes narrow. "Do you talk?"

494 suppresses a smirk at blondie's next words, "He had no problem being a smart ass earlier," he says bitterly.

494 finds his opening. If he can get there faster than either of the '09ers then he has a decent chance of making an escape and getting the hell out of Washington.

Max studies the man in front of her intently. Ben's twin, a danger to her and Zack. Yet, she can't help but notice the lost look in his eyes at the one time his meets hers. She finds his silence eerie and it throws her off. That's when he makes his move. He's fast and although she and Zack run after him, he's gone by the time they reach the middle of the alley.

"We should go see if Logan can track him down," she tells her brother.

As they ride towards Logan's Max smirks and can't resist asking, "So how'd he get the drop on you?"

"He knew I was tailing him, got me as soon as I left the club. And he has ten years training on us," Zack grumbles. Max laughs but says nothing more.

_**~DA~**_

"So a transgenic that looks exactly like your brother Ben was found drinking in Crash, didn't try to harm either of you except in self-defense and then ran away?" Logan asks, trying to get the facts straight.

"Yes," Max confirms.

"And you want me to track him down…why?" he questions.

"He's a threat to us. Where he goes, Manticore is sure to follow. He was outnumbered tonight," Zack replies.

Logan raises an eyebrow, not quite buying it. "Please just see if you can find his location, Logan," Max pleads quietly.

His eyes soften. "Okay. Give me a few minutes," the computer hacker gives in.

"Thank you."

_**~DA~**_

494 pauses on one of the rooftops that he'd been running across and sits down, looking over the city. It is a broken world, filthy and disease ridden. The complete opposite of Manticore's sterile clean environment. He thinks that maybe could have made a life out here.

He needs to continue moving, leave Washington behind him-actually he should probably leave the country altogether.

He's also aware that he could back for the '09ers and hand them over to Manticore. Lydecker would welcome him back with open arms. He wouldn't have survived as long as he has if he didn't consider all of his options. So lost in his thoughts he is, weighing his options, that he doesn't see the hover drone studying him.

_**~DA~**_

"Is this him?" Logan asks. He had hacked into a hover drone and had been flying it around the city for the last fifteen minutes.

"Yes," Max answers, excitement and dread equally fill her tone.

"Where?" Zack demands, soldier through and through.

"Oak street. Roof of the only factory in that area in sector 12," Logan relays the information. The transgenics are gone before he can turn to face them.

_**DA~**_

As they turn onto Oak street Max and Zack hear a loud commotion. Stealthily they sneak towards the sounds. Stopping short when they see the military convoy. The SUV's are parked in a half circle around a lone figure. Men are getting out of the vehicles, guns pointed at the man. The man that Max now recognized as Ben's twin.

"494," Max and Zack stiffen as Lydecker's voice floats towards them.

"Deck," 494 replies.

"You're coming back to Manticore with us," the Colonel tells him.

494 smirks and spreads his arms out, gesturing at the men surrounding him. "Well, with a welcoming party like this how could a guy refuse?" he quips. Max's eyebrows raise in confusion.

"It's disappointing, 494. We had such high hopes and expectations of you," Lydecker says, disapproval heavy in his tone.

"Yeah?" 494 asks. "You know if you stop expecting things you wont get disappointed," he advises glibly.

"Is it really worth it? Spending the next six months in Psy-Ops over a girl?" Lydecker asks incredulously.

"Doesn't matter if it's worth it or not. I'm not going back with you, not alive anyway."

Max grows more tense, she has the distinct feeling that they were going to be fighting soon.

Lydecker smirks. "You're too valuable an asset for us to lose now, 494." He turns to his men. "Take him down." He orders.

The soldiers barely have time to cock their guns before 494 is on the move. In thirty seconds flat five men are down, another few moments and an array of bullets later everyone but Lydecker has either been knocked out, killed, or retreated.

494 stands tall, gun in hand pointing it at his Colonel. Lydecker points his own gun at the unpredictable transgenic opposite him.

"And here I thought I was 'too valuable an asset," he mockingly throws Lydecker's words back at him. "Or, maybe, now I'm just a liability," he muses. "And we all know what you do to the liabilities, don't we Donald?" he smirks.

"You have defected from a mission, gone rogue and killed your superior officers. You're not a liability, 494. You're a defective soldier and you need to be put down," Lydecker states coldly.

Max feels Zack tense next to her and she knows that he trying to fight back the same memories that she is.

"You have a real way with words, has anyone ever told you that?" 494 jibes. He needs to wrap this thing up now if he has any hope of escaping alive. "Well, as fun as this has been, I've gotta go now. Let's not do this again, yeah?" he says cheerfully, rolling to the ground he avoids the Colonels bullets. He grabs one of the dead soldiers discarded guns in favor of his empty one.

On his feet again he points it at Lydecker who copies his movements. A shot rings out.

The look of shock doesn't completely leave his face even as he falls dead to the ground. The remaining figure stands tall with his smoking gun. He presses a hand against his shoulder in an attempt to stop the blood flowing from the bullet wound.

_**~DA~**_

Max and Zack stand shocked for several moments before slowly walking out into the open.

494 turns swiftly towards them, gun at the ready. "Oh, it's you," he states uninterestedly, turning his attention back to his wound.

"You killed Lydecker," Max says in shock.

"Oh sorry," 494 tells her, not sounding sorry in the least. "Friend of yours?"

"No. But he's been after us for so long…" Zack replies while sizing the younger man up.

494 scoffs. "There'll be plenty more where he came from."

Max steps towards him causing him to stop all movement and watch her warily. "We should get that looked at," she says, pointing at his shoulder.

"It's fine," he replies.

Max rolls her eyes. "Just let me fix it up and we can talk."

"The only thing I plan on doing is getting the hell out of Seattle," 494 informs her. He looks around. "After I clean up this mess," he mutters.

Max looks over to Zack and jerks her head towards the rogue transgenic. Zack sighs and looks at the younger man. "Look, we'll help you clean this up if you come with us, let Max clean you up and talk to us for a bit. Then you can leave and go wherever you want."

494 studies them for a minute. He _really_ didn't want to clean the bodies up himself. "Fine," he agrees as she turns to start loading the soldiers up into the SUV's.

_**~DA~**_

An hour later they had finished dumping the body filled SUV's in to a nearby lake and were heading into Logan's apartment. "You've told an ordinary about what you are?" 494 asks incredulously. Zack smirks, glad to have someone in agreement with him.

"Not _told_…he just kinda figured it out," Max says defensively.

"Ri-ight," 494 drawls.

"What is it with you two? Not everyone is untrustworthy!" she exclaims in frustration.

"That hasn't been my experience," 494 mutters.

"Max! Thank god, I was wor-" Logan trails off when he sees 494. "I thought he was a threat," he says.

"Funny. I think the same about you," 494 tells him, his eyes glittering dangerously. Zack's lips twitch as he tries to keep his laughter at bay.

"Logan this is…" Max pauses, "What's your name?"

"Don't have one," 494 replies with a shrug as he finishes his examination of the penthouse.

"Right," Max replies. She thinks over the last few hours and what she's learned about the X5 in front of her. "I'll call you Alec," she decides.

"Alec?" he questions, confusion evident in his eyes.

"Yeah, as in smart aleck," she elaborates.

The newly dubbed Alec shrugs. "Whatever."

Max rolls her eyes and speaks again," Logan this is Alec, Alec this is-"

This time it's Alec that interrupts her, "Eye's Only."

Logan narrows his eyes. "Who told you?" he asks shooting a glare at Zack.

Alec smirks. "No one. A person's eyes are their most distinguished feature. If you wanted to remain anonymous you should have called yourself "lips only" or something," he tells him mockingly.

This time Zack is unable to keep his laughter in at the young transgenics smart ass remark. Logan glares, Alec smirks, and even Max has trouble keeping a smile off of her face.

"So what's he doing here?" Logan asks with a frown.

"Alec's gone rogue. Can I borrow your first aid kit?" Max casually asks.

"Why? Are you hurt?" Logan asks, immediately concerned.

"No. Alec got shot," she tells him. Logan throws another glance towards the new transgenic, his eyes burning with distrust, before getting the med kit.

As Logan walks back into the room with the kit in hand he asks, "How do you know that he's really gone rogue and this isn't all just a trap?"

"Alec just took out two dozen soldiers and Lydecker. This isn't a trap," Zack speaks up on the younger man's behalf.

Max pushes Alec onto the couch and starts to clean his wound. "You mean he murdered two dozen soldiers and Lydecker," Logan states.

Max pauses at Logan's words and Alec looks the computer hacker straight in the eyes. "Yes."

"And you brought him here?" Logan asks incredulously. "How can you be so cavalier about this?" he questions Alec.

Alec raises an eyebrow. "I'm a genetically engineered super soldier who was created for the sole purpose of killing the enemy. Lydecker and his men were the enemy. Simples as that."

"Max is a genetically engineered super soldier as well. I don't see her murdering handfuls of people," Logan retaliates. Max winces as her name is brought into it. She finishes dressing the wound just as Alec stands up.

"Max left Manticore ten years ago. Beside, I was trained in assassinations, it's what I do," he says expressionlessly. Turning to Max he says, "Well thanks for the healing and name but I gotta go now."

"You agreed to talk," Max reminds him.

Alec grins at her. "I have talked. Goodbye Max. Zack, it was…nice meeting you," he comments before leaving. He's gone by the time that Max gets to the hallway.

Max turns to her brother. "Should we track him down again?"

"No. He obviously wants to be alone," Zack replies.

Alec looks out at the world from atop the Seattle Space Needle. The people below are ant sized, scurrying around as the broken power grid causes different sections of the city to darken momentarily. It has been a long night, too much drama when all he wanted to do was drink himself into oblivion.

He knows that he should be, could've been, out of town by now but he can't bring himself to leave the city where he'd last seen Rachel alive and well. It's hard for him to comprehend that in the last 48 hours he killed his girlfriend, gone rogue, killed Colonel Lydecker, and been briefly taken in my two of twelve '09ers. He wishes he could just fall asleep and forget it all, so he lays back and closes his eyes. Maybe he wouldn't wake up at all.

_**~DA~**_

Zack had disappeared again a couple hours ago, he said that he needed to inform that others of Alec's existence and that he isn't to be harmed if they come across him. Like always she told him to take her to her siblings and, like always, he'd refused her before disappearing.

She sighs, frustrated at today's events, she should be relieved that Lydecker's dead-and she is-but she also feels this intense feeling of loss. Zack's gone again, Alec-the only other transgenic she's met in years-couldn't stand being around her. She stops her climb as Lydecker's words flit through her mind, "Is it really worth it? Spending the next six months in Psy-Ops over a girl?"

She shakes her head, mentally smacking her self for being so self-absorbed. He went rogue for a girl. A girl he's probably gone back to by now. She sighs again and steps out onto the top of the Space needle, only to stop short at the familiar figure lying there. Slowly she makes her way over to him and sits down.

"I always come up here to think and be alone," she tells him quietly.

"Sorry to take it over," he replies, opening his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend by now?" she asks, hoping that he doesn't notice the bitter note her tone had taken.

Alec props himself up on his elbows. "What are you talking about?"

"Lydecker said that you went rogue for a girl," she reminds him.

Alec laughs bitterly making Max wince at the sound, "I went rogue because I killed my girlfriend," he tells her, wondering why he said anything.

Max looks over at him, startled. "Why?"

For a long time Alec doesn't say anything. He doesn't know why he feels the need to tell Max, a stranger, his life's story. But he does. "I went undercover as her piano teacher. I was there to gather information on her father, find out how much he knows about Manticore. One thing lead to another and somehow she fell for me," he pauses," Well, no. I guess she fell for Simon," he corrects with a bitter smirk.

"Anyway, I returned the feelings, but I didn't understand them. Still don't. I was ordered to plant a bomb on their car and blow it up when they were leaving for school. I planted the bomb, had everything ready to go." he stops and Max watches him in sympathy and horror. "I-I couldn't do it. So I told Rachel the truth, which was stupid because it made her freak out, naturally. I was gonna make her and her father leave town, tell Manticore that they'd split in the middle of the night. But Rachel was worried about her father and ran towards the car. And it blew up," he finishes.

"You blew it up?" she asks disbelievingly.

Alec sighs, "Manticore anticipated my defection and planted a second bomb, a second team blew it up."

"So _you_ didn't kill her," Max tells him.

"Doesn't matter who pressed the button. She's dead, and that's on me," he says.

"You tried to save her, to save them both, no matter the consequences. That was brave and heroic," Max tells him emphatically.

Alec scoffs and lays back down. "I'm no hero, Max."

Max studies him for awhile longer before lying back with him. He doesn't see himself yet. He's still lost, but Max is determined to help him whether he likes it or not.

_**-End-**_


	9. I Is For Imposter

**A/N: Thanks so much to "DGfleetfox", "recicup", "alliekiwi", and "AlecDeanFan" for your reviews! I hadn't thought about turning "Hero" into a full fledged story until I saw some of your comments, now I'm seriously considering it. Ideas are already floating around my head =). And I'll try to work in some more Season 1 Max too =). Thanks to everyone else who Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =).**

**Here's a Dark Angel/Supernatural crossover fic for ya!**

**Warning: To those opposed, there is some cussing in this fic.**

**I Is For:**

**Imposter**

Bobby holds his knife out steadily towards the Dean imposter. He hates shapeshifters.

"Whoa, dude. I swear I didn't know she had a boyfriend," the imposter says to him, holding his hands out in a placating manner. Bobby rolls his eyes at the Dean-like phrase and shifts a little as John walks over to him.

"That's not a shape shifter," Winchester tells him, studying the man before him. "He's too young to be our Dean."

The Dean imposter blinks. "Ri-ight," he drawls. "Now that we've established that, goodbye," he says quickly as he starts moving away.

John draws his gun and points it at the kid, "What are you?" he asks gruffly.

The imposter huffs. "That's a rude question. What are _you_?" he retorts.

"Alec!" someone shouts out. "Man, you're missing all the fu-whoa," he says when he notices Bobby and John.

"Go inside, Sketchy," Alec tells the lanky guy. "Now," he orders sharply, eyes narrowing at the two older men as he is now faced with a possible threat to his friend. Sketchy obeys and hurries back inside.

Alec sighs in relief. "Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

Guns cock from all around him. "Ames White, and I want 452...you're a great catch as well, of course," the Familiar says stepping out from the shadows. John and Bobby share a look.

Alec groans silently. "Great," he mutters. Louder he says, "That's what all the ladies tell me," with a cocky smirk.

"You're a real comedian, 494," White drawls.

"I try," Alec replies with a shrug. John watches his sons look alike in amusement. He is a hell of a lot like Dean. Bobby, on the other hand, watches him thoughtfully. '494?' He wonders.

"Where's 452?" White demands.

"Dunno, ours was a summer fling," Alec repeats his words from month ago.

White steps forward and hits Alec across the face with his glock.

"Where's 452?"

"Have you tried Tim-buck-two?" Alec snarks.

White goes to hit Alec again when John speaks up. "Who the fuck are you?" he asks the Familiar.

Alec raises an eyebrow. "You mean you're not with them? Huh. In that case…"

He blurs towards White and knocks the gun from his hand. Gunfire rings out from all around them. John and Bobby dive for cover and returns fire while Alec avoids the bullets and knocks white out. Alec back flips towards the remaining threats and quickly disarms them. John and Bobby watch as the Dean look alike knocks out the last two gunmen and collects their weapons.

"You're transgenic," Bobby states confidently while John looks at him appraisingly.

"And you're hunters," Alec replies.

"What do you know about hunters?" John asks warily.

"I know that I've come across your kind before, and that I've seen a lot of weird shit. When I realized that the shapeshifter crap wasn't some Familiar bullshit I figured out what you are," Alec says, checking his multiple new acquirements for bullets.

"You look just like my eldest son, only you're a couple years younger," John informs him.

"He's probably my DNA donor," Alec tells them. "Manticore would…acquire…blood and DNA samples from hospitals and if they were good enough they'd use them in us," he explains before John can ask how they'd gotten his son's DNA.

"Alec, what the hell did you do?" a sharp female voice demands from behind him.

"I took out an army," he says dryly.

"Sketchy called and said that there were only two other people out here."

"White showed up later. Max…were you worried about me?" he teases.

Max rolls her eyes. "Not likely," she mutters.

"Mmm-hmmm. Keep tellin' yourself that," he smirks.

"We need to get outta here before they wake up," Max points out.

"We're not done talking," John interrupts brusquely.

Max tenses and faces them, about ready to tell them off when Alec puts a hand on her shoulder. "It's fine, Max," he assures her. "Get outta dodge. I'll go with these guys."

Max looks at him incredulously but his expression is firm. "Fine. But you sure as hell better call and check in."

Alec's eyes twinkle. "I knew you worry about me!" he says triumphantly. Max scoffs and walks away. "Where to?" he asks the two hunters.

_**~DA~**_

"Max blew the place up and we've been on the loose since. White and his goons are part of an ancient breeding cult bent on destroying transgenics and taking over the world," Alec said, finishing his explanation of how he came to be before biting into his burger.

It was a fair trade, John and Bobby told him about hunting and Dean and in exchange he told them about Manticore and the Familiars.

He feel an inexplicable bond to trust with the hunters and it's making him a bit uncomfortable. What Alec doesn't know is that John is feeling that same unlikely bond.

"Damn. That's some story," Bobby whistles.

Alec raises an eyebrow. "It's hardly more unbelievable than yours," he points out causing Bobby to glare and John to snicker.

Three hours and countless beers later John offers to bring Alec to meet Dean and his younger brother, Sam.

"Thanks, I would but…I've got responsibilities here," Alec tells him. John nods his understanding and they say their goodbyes, exchange promises to stay in touch, and go their separate ways.

_**~DA~**_

John Winchester finds himself, for the first time in twenty years, glued to the television set. It has been two years since he met Alec McDowell, two years since Sam went off to Stanford and two years since Dean shut himself off from everyone.

After he had gotten back from Seattle that year he had told Sam and Dean about Alec. Dean had immediately wanted to meet the man with his face and DNA while Same didn't want anything to do with him. Dean had _finally_ broken him down-and then they'd gotten a call from Bobby telling them to turn on the news, any station would do.

It had been a country wide breaking news report. Transgenics had been found out and forced into a condemned city by the government. Rioters and military personnel ready to kill any "freak" that left or entered the city.

The news showed pictures of the suspected leaders of the Freak Nation. One was the girl, Max, that he'd briefly met. The other was Alec, smirking at him from the TV screen. Seeing the picture of Dean's clone had amused his eldest son and had given his youngest the 'creeps'.

It was too dangerous for them to go in and take the unnecessary risk. Sammy left soon after. John and Dean had kept close tabs on the Transgenic situation along with the casualties ever since.

Now they're sitting on a cheap motel couch in Seattle, watching as Congress announces their verdict on Transgenic rights.

_**~DA~**_

The party raged all around him. Freedom. An hour ago they had been granted their freedom and human rights. Alec has no doubts that they'll still be closely watched but they can leave this city now, live their lives.

"We did it," Max says happily from behind him.

He turns towards her with a warm smile. "Yeah, we did it." He studies her for a second. "Where's Logan?" he asks.

Max and Logan had gotten the virus cured six months ago but due to the city's toxins and the military stationed outside the gates their relationship had continued through video chats save for the rare outing one of them would risk.

"He's around somewhere…with Asha," She tells him quietly.

"Say the word and I'll kick his ass," He growls.

Max laughs. "The break-up was my idea. I want something different now," she tells him meaningfully.

Alec studies her carefully, trying to correctly decipher her meaning when he hears a voice call out his name. He turns, a wide grin spreading across his features. "John Winchester," he greets.

"Alec McDowell," his DNA donor's father returns. A figure walks closer and Alec is momentarily startle to see his own face, a couple of years older, staring back at him.

"Whoa," his reflection says.

"That about sums it up," Alec smirks back.

"What the hell?" Max demands.

"Alec, Dean. Dean, Alec," John introduces. The doubles shake hands.

"And I repeat, what the hell?" Max says again.

"Dean is my genetic donor…or one of them anyway. Obviously his DNA was the only one used looks wise," Alec explains to her. "Max, John and Dean. John, Dean, this is Max."

"Hey," the hunters greet in unison.

"Hi," Max replies, still shocked.

"Dean wanted to meet you a long time ago but…" John trails off.

"We were outed," Alec nods.

"Max, Alec!" Logan calls out from their left, walking with Mole. They stop quickly when both Dean and Alec turn towards him.

"One of you was more than enough, princess," Mole grumbles.

Alec scoffs. "You're just jealous that Manticore decided you were to ugly to make multiples of," he teases with a grin.

Mole cocks his ever present rifle at him. "One more word, pretty boy."

"Princess, pretty boy…it's obvious that you're just jealous of my good looks, lizard-man," Alec continues, ignoring the threat.

Dean watches the exchange with interest. It's obvious that the other man has his wit along with his looks.

"Why are there two of you?" Logan interrupts.

"There aren't," Alec replies. "We are two different people who look alike."

"Do you try to be this frustrating or does it come naturally?" Logan asks in irritation.

Alec grins, his eyes glittering mischievously. "Naturally," he replies.

Max rolls her eyes. "This is Dean, he's Alec DNA donor, and John…I'm guessing you're his father?"

"Yes," John confirms, amused by Alec's interactions with these people.

"The press wants an interview with the two of you," Logan tells Alec and Max with a shake of his head.

Alec groans. "I'm tired of the press."

Mole grins. "Get ready for your close-up princess." He laughs at Alec's glare as he walks away,

Logan will you take Dean and John to my apartment?" he asks before turning to the two hunters and speaking to them, "The bar and fridge are stocked and you won't have to worry about anyone askin' why you look like me there. I'll be up as soon as I'm done talkin' to the vultures," he says. They nod and split up.

_**~DA~**_

"So you want me to hunt with you?" Alec asks.

"I know it's not an ideal lifestyle but you'd be helping people…and you still get all the action," John tells him.

"I'm in," Alec states.

Dean looks at him in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah. We're already going our separate ways here. I get bored easily, this'll be good for me. Besides, you're kinda family and it wouldn't suck getting to know you," he replies boldly.

"Okay," John says happily.

Dean grins. As much as he wouldn't wish this life on anybody it's nice to have a "little brother" that doesn't want to run away from him. Besides, Alec's _choosing_ this life."

_**~DA~**_

Three days later Max confronts John. "You can't just steal him away," she states angrily.

"You two dating?" John asks in wary amusement.

"Well, no. But.."

"But you wanna be," John finishes.

"Maybe I do," Max replies. "And you're just taking him away to fight monsters before I can do anything about it," she pauses, "I'm comin' with you."

"Excuse me?" John says.

"Two super soldiers are better than one in the monster fight, right? Well here you go, two for the price of one," she says.

"No, it'll be two for the price of two, or don't you eat?" John smirks.

"Alec and I can make easy money, that's not a problem," she tells him, waving the issue away.

"Does Alec know you're comin'?" he asks, giving his approval. He likes this girl, she'll be good for Alec.

"He will soon," she says determinedly, walking away.

_**~DA~**_

"I'm comin' with you," she tells Alec when she finds him talking to Dean.

"What?" he asks.

"I've already asked John. I'm comin' with you," she repeats.

Alec throws a confused look over to Dean, who's watching them with a knowing smirk. "Why?" he asks.

Max rolls her eyes and grabs his jacket, yanking him forwards and kissing him. It's not long before Alec gets over his shock and returns the kiss with just as much passion. Dean turns away and walks over to his Impala.

Max breaks the kiss. "That's why."

Alec nods dumbly.

"Let's go kids," John yells out. Max grins and picks up her duffel bag, which Alec hadn't noticed until now. They all pile into the Impala and leave Terminal City behind them.

_**~DA~**_

Over the next couple of years Alec is called a Dean imposter almost as much as Dean's called an Alec imposter.

_**-End-**_


	10. J Is For Jealous

**A/N: Huge thanks to "DGfleetfox" (your time travel idea is definitely one to consider), "recicup" and "alliekiwi" for your reviews! Sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoy! =).**

**Thanks to everyone else who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =).**

**J Is For:**

**Jealous **

Max watches through narrowed eyes as Alec laughs again at whatever the raven-haired woman is saying. "Max? Have you heard anything I've said?" Logan asks, breaking her focus.

"What?" she asks guiltily.

"Logan sighs. "You've been distracted all night. Is everything alright?"

Max manages to work up a smile. "Yeah, I'm just tired. I think I might be able to sleep tonight," she lies.

"Shark DNA been keeping you up?" he asks, sympathetically.

Max pastes a tired smile onto her face. "Yeah."

"Okay. How about you stop by tomorrow and we can talk then, " he suggests.

"Okay," Max agrees gratefully as they both get up to leave. Before disappearing from the club she glances back down at Alec and sees him chatting with the raven-haired woman-and another man. '_Probably the girl's boyfriend_' she scoffs to herself. With that thought she leaves Crash and heads home.

_**~DA~**_

As Max arrives at Loan's the next evening she sees Alec's green bike locked up next to where she usually parks. She sighs and makes her way up to the penthouse She should've known that Logan would call Alec in for whatever this is.

Walking to the penthouse she hears Alec and Logan talking.

"You don't honestly expect me to wear that," Alec says in disbelief.

Max peeks around the corner and sees Logan holding up an expensive looking bright blue tuxedo while Alec shakes his head in horror and Asha smiles in amusement.

"You have to look like you belong," Logan insists.

"I'd rather go naked. I'd draw less attention that way," Alec states dryly. Max starts laughing, revealing herself.

"Hey Max," Logan smiles.

"Hey everyone. What's goin' on?" she greets.

"Logan wants us to crash some swanky party and steal stuff," Alec informs her.

Logan sighs in frustration. "Patrick Dellany is a big time mob boss who pretends to be a high class citizen while cheating people out of their money. We'll just be giving a little back to the poor."

""Doesn't matter how you spin it Robin Hood, I'm still not wearing that," Alec says looking at the tux in disgust. "I'll get my own."

"You can't steal from random people, Alec," Logan tells him disapprovingly.

Alec quirks an eyebrow. "Watch me."

Max interrupts before Logan can reply, "I have to agree with Alec. There's no way we can sneak around if he looks radioactive."

"I think they're right. Why don't you wear that one and let Alec take the black? You don't have to be inconspicuous anyway," Asha suggests. Alec nods enthusiastically in agreement.

"You guys are going too?" Max asks in surprise.

"Yes. The invitation is for me and a small group of people I choose to bring. You'll be my date-with the suits and gloves required for the party there'll be no skin contact," Logan tells her excitedly. "And Asha will be Alec's date," he finishes. Max watches as Alec and Asha shoot each other a smile.

"Wouldn't it make more sense for me and Alec to go together since we're the thieves?" Max wonders.

"Alec is going to steal from the upstairs safe. You'll break into the one downstairs," Logan explains.

"Suggesting more time with me, Maxie? I'm flattered," Alec smirks with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"As if," Max scoffs. "I'm just strategizing the best action to take for the mission."

"Ri-ight," Alec laughs.

"This will work best, Max. I've gone over the details a hundred times."

Alec claps his hands together. "Then it's settled. We'll meet back here tomorrow. _I'll_ wear the black tux and go with Asha, Logan will join the blue man group and go with Maxie. Now I gotta go," Alec says, pointing at the door.

Logan winces at the thought of wearing the blue suit but agrees to in anyway.

"Why got a hot date?" Max asks with a slight bite to her tone.

"Somethin' like that," Alec calls back over his shoulder.

_**~DA~**_

Alec walks into his apartment and smiles at the man and woman standing there. "You guys ready?" he asks.

"You sure you wanna do this man? It's a big risk," the man questions.

"Yes Jay, I'm sure," he says with the air of someone who'd repeated that assurance many times before. He smirks. "What kind of CO would I be if I didn't help you guys out?"

"The kind that likes surviving," the brunette jokes.

"Surviving's overrated," he quips. Growing serious he says, "Look, you will stay at the warehouse near the Oregon border until late tomorrow night. After I pull the job I'll have enough cash to get you guys as far as you wanna go," Alec plans out.

"What about you?" Why don't you come with us?"

Alec shakes his head, an image of Max flashing into his mind. "Sorry Shell, I can't. Obligations, you know?"

Shell sighs and nods. "I know."

"Good. Now…let's get you guys to the warehouse. Way more secure than this place," Alec says with a smirk, ushering them out of his home.

_**~DA~**_

The next evening Alec, Asha, and Max all meet up at Logan;s, ready to go to the party. Logan had finished going over the plan with Max last night after Alec and Asha had left. Alec quickly changed into the black tux, making his female accomplices speechless.

Logan also made everyone speechless once he entered the room. They were all way too consumed with laughter to be able to form words. Max had the right word when she'd described the tux as "radioactive".

"Shut up," Logan mutters

"Sorry dude," Alec chortles unbelievingly.

Logan sighs in irritation. "Can we just go?"

Max smiles sympathetically. "Yeah, let's blaze."

The car ride is somewhat uncomfortable with Alec and Asha whispering and laughing in the back seat while Max and Logan naturally sit as far a part as possible from each other, maintaining a distance that's now instinctive.

The finally arrive in front of the large mansion not a moment too soon. They pile gracefully out of the car and walk up the steps to the front door. The door swings open in time with their arrival and they walk inside, handing the invitation over to one of the bouncers for inspection.

The large bouncer eyes Logan's tux in amusement but nods them through all the same. Alec shrugs with glee at the man as he walks by. The bouncer shook his head at the group, there'd be no loosing sight of that one.

Max and Logan danced with each other cautiously, it wasn't as enjoyable as it probably should have been. Max was constantly on alert for the moment where her skin brushed against his and she killed him. It was a bitch to live with.

Logan leaned forward slightly, flinching when Max jerked her head back. "I was just gonna tell you that it's show time," he tells her. She nods apologetically and starts leading them over to the general area she'd need to be.

She looked over and noticed that Alec was already on the move, not one to waste time when it counted.

_**~DA~**_

They left the party laughing, Logan and Asha loaded themselves into the car while Max and Alec snuck around to the back of the mansion, carefully avoiding the cameras, to gather the bags of money that they'd lowered out the windows.

They piled the bags into the back of the car and climbed in themselves. It seemed to take forever for them to get back to the penthouse but when they did Alec discretely grabbed one of the bags and tossed it under the vehicle. They brought the rest up to Logan's.

"I'll touch base with my contacts and figure out the best way to distribute this," Logan tells them. "Thanks for your help," he says with a smile.

"Anytime, Logan," Asha replies.

"Yeah. Almost anytime," Alec agrees, coming out of the bathroom in his usual attire. "Gotta jet, guys. It's been fun."

"Where is he off to?" Asha asks.

"I dunno, but I gotta go too," Max replies. "I'll see ya later."

She leaves the penthouse quickly, mounts her bike, and discretely follows Alec. He'd been awfully secretive the last couple days and she wants to know why.

She frowns in confusion as they pass through sector after sector until they finally enter the last one before reaching the state line. She widens the distance between the two of them as they get nearer to the warehouse district where the streets were empty.

_**~DA~**_

She watched, parked a block away, as Alec came out of one of the many warehouses with the man and brunette that she'd seen at Crash the other night. She swung off of her bike and crept closer.

Alec was saying something while searching his bike. Max gasped as he pulled out a very familiar black bag-one that looked strangely similar to the ones they'd used earlier that evening. He handed it to the couple and they walked around to the back of the building.

Max snuck after them, eyes widening as the brunette jumped into Alec's arms, giving him a friendly kiss on the lips. The two men shook hands and said something before nodding. The couple turned away and got into a small boat that Max had just noticed waiting for them. They handed some money over to the boat captain and started their journey across the state line.

Alec stands with his hands in his pockets, watching as the only two links to his past went further out of sight. "You can come out now, Max," he calls out.

She sighs and walks out of the shadows, nearer to him. "What was that all about?"

"They were in my unit. White's men have been closing in on them and they needed to get out of the state fast," Alec told him.

"So you stole the money from Logan?" Max asks.

"Logan said that he'd be using the money to help people anyway, Max," Alec points out. "I just helped him get rid of a little."

Max nods, and turns to look at the lake watching the small boat get smaller. Alec sighs beside her and she smiles sadly. "Why didn't you go with them?"

"I have obligations here, Maxie. You know that."

"Yeah," she mutters. She looks at him and bumps her shoulder against his. "Jealous?"

"Of course," he sighs. "You?"

"Oh yeah. I'd love to be able to just leave and never come back," Max nods.

Alec shoots a grin and jumps in surprise when he feels Max's hand clasp his own and she leans against him.

"Some day that will be us," she assures him.

He smiles and they both turn back to the lake. He really hopes so.

_**~End~**_


	11. Alternate J Is For Jealous

**This was written by the awesome "****alliekiwi" ****who, I'm very happy to say, gave me permission to post this. It** is a continuation/alternate version of J Is For Jealous. Thank you again for this little one-shot Allie, I love it! =D

**J Is For;**

** Jealous (take two)**

Max and Alec slowly stopped swaying as the music came to an end, the skirt of her wedding gown rustling. As Max stepped back, Alec grasped her hand. "One more?" he suggested, reluctant to let her go.

"I better go and dance with Lo-"

"He's taken care of," Alec nodded to where Logan was leading Original Cindy to the dance floor. "Just one more?"

Max followed his gaze and grimaced in near perfect mimicry of O.C. whose fingers were barely touching Logan's sleeve and shoulder as they waited for the next song to begin, as if she could barely stand to touch him in his revolting electric blue suit. "I can't believe he wore that suit to our wedding!" she exclaimed.

"What can I say?" Alec smirked. "Eyes likes to have everyone's eyes on him." He winced as Max thwacked him on the shoulder.

The music began once more and he pulled Max close to him as some old singer named Michael Bubble, or something like that, started to sing.

_I can't believe it's over_

_I watched the whole thing fall_

_And I never saw the writing that was on the wall_

He frowned and stopped dancing. "Wait here a moment?" he said.

"What-"

He pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't go away, I'll be right back." He left a stunned Max on the dance floor, made his way over to the DJ and spoke for a minute. A few dollars changed hands and, as he walked back, the music stopped and changed to something a little more upbeat.

"I couldn't get him to change the singer, but at least the song is better," he said, pulling Max into his arms once more.

_You can dance every dance with the guy_

_Who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight_

_You can smile-every smile for the man_

_Who held your hand 'neath the pale moon light_

As he twirled Max around, Logan glared their way.

"What's wrong with Logan?" Max wondered.

Alec smirked. "He's just jealous, because he knows you're coming home with me." With that, he kept dancing with his bride, humming along to the music.

_'Cause don't forget who's taking you home_

_And in whose arms you're gonna be_

_Save the last dance for me_


	12. K Is For Kiss

**A/N: Big Thanks to "recicup" and "alliekiwi" for your reviews on ch. 10 and "recicup", "AlecDeanFan" and "DGfleetfox" for your reviews on alliekiwi's Ch.11! Thanks to everyone else who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert! You all rock! =)**

**This chapter is dedicated to recicup who has stuck with me and commented on every chapter =). This is the fic that was inspired by your "Disney girl" comment lol =). I hope you enjoy!**

**K Is For:**

**Kiss**

She honestly felt completely ridiculous. Here she is, a genetically engineered super soldier and she's wearing _this. _

"Lookin' great, boo!" Original Cindy exclaims taking in the sight of Max wearing the beautiful white Cinderella-esque ball gown. Her hair is pulled into an elegant bun with a white ribbon serving as a headband.

"I can't believe you got me to wear this!" the transgenic groans

"It's a Disney ball, Max! You _have_ to wear something like that!" Cindy tells her with a roll of her eyes. "I am!" she points out gesturing to her own outfit. She was wearing a teal bra and pantaloons of the same color. Her hair was hanging down her back, a teal headband keeping if out of her face.

"Yeah…who are you supposed to be?" Max asks in amusement.

"Princess Jasmine from Aladdin!" Cindy says.

"I don't really know anything about Disney…" Max tells her friend.

"Yeah, neither do I," Alec chimes in, coming up from behind them, Logan by his side. Alec was dressed in some sort of Asian style warriors outfit with boots meeting a tan skirt type thing and green and black armor covering his chest. A red cape was hanging down his back.

Max laughs, "Who are you supposed to be?"

Alec looks down and shrugs, "No idea."

"He's Shang…" at their combined silence Logan continued. "From Mulan?" Still nothing. "Okay…well I'm John Smith," he tells them proudly. They take in his blue pants, blue shirt and blue chest plate.

"Nice hat," Alec chortles, pointing at metal bowl looking thing on Logan's head.

Logan rolls his eyes, "Real mature."

"You two seriously haven't seen a Disney movie?" Cindy asks in disbelief.

"I don't know Max's excuse but I was busy being locked up in a concrete cage for the last twenty years," Alec says.

"…I just didn't have time…" Max replies with a shrug. She looks around the ballroom. "So how's this goin' down?"

"Quieter Max!" Logan shushes.

"Relax, Logie. Nobody's paying attention to us," Alec tells him.

_**~DA~**_

Max would really just like to get this over with so she could get out of this dress. Logan had told her two weeks ago that there was a character ball that he'd like them to go to. He'd told her that the host had several files that would expose the corrupt cops that swarmed Seattle. It sounded like a mission that she'd gone on a million times before but she'd agreed because he'd been so excited and she didn't want to burst his bubble.

They'd originally planned to have Asha as their fourth person, making the couples even as it was a two man job and Alec was needed. But she'd had last minute obligations with S.1.W. Logan had been freaking out, wondering how they were going to salvage the mission.

After he'd told her that it was a "Disney" themed ball Max had suggested Original Cindy as the replacement. She didn't need to be a part of the action and she'd have fun at the fancy event. Max herself knew next to nothing about Disney, the little she did know is just what she'd heard from Original Cindy, a self-proclaimed "Disney girl".

Original Cindy looked around at the elegant splendor with childlike enthusiasm, something that she hasn't had since before the Pulse. As a young girl she remembers sitting in front of the T.V. watching every Disney movie she could get her hands on. Her parents had had a large collection of them. Even all these years later she still knows them by heart.

_**~DA~**_

After Logan was done going over the plan Cindy and Max danced with each other on the dance floor, laughing as they just let go and had fun. Max and Alec wouldn't be able to make their move for a while longer.

"Thanks boo," OC says sincerely. "This takes me back to when I was a little girl."

"I'm kinda warming up to the costumes," Max laughs.

"I can't believe that you've never seen a Disney movie," she says with a disbelieving shake of her head.

"They any good?" Max is compelled to ask.

"They're great! They all pretty much have da same plot. Girl has secret identity, meets prince charming, chaos ensues followed by a happy ending. Occasionally the princess character gets poisoned and falls into a deep deathlike sleep and can only be awakened by true loves kiss," Original Cindy tells her with a dreamy smile.

"Definitely a fairytale," Max chuckles.

"It's the characters that draw you in," Original Cindy says as a lion and pirate dance past them.

"I can see that," Max says, laughing even more. Original joins her laughter as they continue their dance.

_**~DA~**_

Alec watches as Max and Original Cindy laugh and dance together. He smiles, Logan had taken it upon himself to tell Alec all about Disney and it's many characters. He hadn't thought the man could get so excited about anything that didn't have to do with Eye's Only. He supposed that it had to do with the good memories attached to the movies. Memories of a life before the pulse, when people still believed that the childlike fantasies that Disney provided could be attained.

Princesses, Princes, true love and magic kisses. Alec chuckles to himself, he'd like to see one of these movies. He glances down at his watch. Showtime.

_**~DA~**_

Logan and Alec move out onto the dance floor to intercept the two women. "Mind if we cut in?" Alec asks, instantly taking Original Cindy's place as Logan took Max's.

Max and Alec twirled around the dance room, inconspicuously making their way towards the huge marble staircase.

Alec looked over towards their friends just in time to see Logan drop something into the punch bowl before sweeping OC away. Ten seconds later punch exploded out of the bowl and skyrocket up to the ceiling.

Max and Alec seized advantage of the distraction and blurred up the staircase. They walked quickly down the hall and ducked into the third room on the left, turning on their flashlights. "Logan said that the files are on a disc," Max says.

"I know, I had the same briefing you did," Alec smirks.

"Just making sure you're paying attention." Max tells him with a grin.

"I think I've found them," Alec says suddenly. Max walks over, stopping briefly to untangle her dress from a drawer that it had gotten caught on, and shines her light on the disc.

"Yeah, that's them," she confirms.

"Great, lets get outta here," Alec says, eager to get back to the party…and the booze. Mostly the booze. He stands up straight and heads for the door.

Max turns quickly to follow him, turning out her light. She lets out a surprised grunt as she runs smack dab into the doorframe of a door that definitely did not lead to the hallway, falling backwards onto the cold floor.

_**~DA~**_

Alec makes it half way down the hallway before he realizes that he doesn't hear Max behind him. He turns around, frowning when he finds himself alone. Cautiously, he walks back into the office, shining his light around trying to find her.

He can't help but let out a laugh when he sees her lying on the floor, it didn't take a genius to figure out that she'd walked through the wrong door…or tried to anyway. He covers his mouth with his free hand trying to stop the guffaws from coming out as he moved closer to her.

She must have hit the door with some force for it to have knocked her out cold. He squats down and gently slaps her cheek. "Wakey, wakey Cinderella," he singsongs.

His smile turns back into a frown when she doesn't even flinch. "Huh," he grunts. His lips lift up and his smile widens when something dawns on him. Here he is, a strapping Chinese warrior, at a ball with a beautiful princess who won't awaken. Now if he remembered Logan's monologue correctly a kiss by the princess' one true love should do the trick.

Of course, he wasn't Prince charming, and Logan couldn't touch her but what the hell? At the very least her anger at his presumptiveness should wake her up. So, with the smirk still on his face he leaned in and pressed his lips lightly to hers in a kiss reminiscent to that in a fairytale. Except for the bit where the princess wakes up and punches her rescuer.

The Disney movies always leave that part out.

_**-End-**_


	13. L Is For Last

**A/N: Big thanks to "alliekiwi", "recicup", and "DGfleetfox" for your reviews! You all rock =)! Thanks to everyone who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert! Hope you enjoy! =)**

**L Is For:**

**Last**

It is complete chaos, everyone is everywhere just lying around. Unmoving. It all feels as though it is moving in slow motion, so much to get done and not enough people left to do it.

"Get your asses in gear you lazy ingrates!" Normal shouts at his Jam Pony employees. There is a ton of packages to deliver and everyone is just lounging around like they aren't at work-where they have a _job_ to do. "Before you're all fired!" he adds.

That had everyone snapping to attention. Well, okay they all just kind of slowly swagger over to the counter but at least they were moving. That is all Normal can ask for, or demand, on a normal day of the week.

"What d'ya got for me, Normal?" Max asks, first one to approach her irritable boss.

"This," he tosses her a medium sized package. "Sector 12."

"Aww come on, Normal," Max says, trying to talk her way out of it.

"No way, missy. And here, while you're at it, all these need to go to Sector 12 too," he tells her, adding four more smaller packages to the mix.

Max groans. "Great," she mutters.

It doesn't take her as long to get to Sector 12 as it would have any other messenger, but she still resents having to go. As the woman that she was delivering the last package to disappears to get a tip Max sneaks a peek inside the large house.

She zooms in on an old painting that, as far as she can tell from her current position, looked to be real. Real and old means lots of cash. She files that away for later and gives the woman a smile, thanking her for the two dollar tip and walking away. She'll be back tonight.

_**~DA~**_

He watches at a far distance as the gorgeous bike messenger subtly cases the place, it was an obvious target, large old house with a perfectly manicured yard. A sight rarely seen in post pulse Seattle. He smirks as he can practically see the plans forming in her mind. She'll be back tonight.

_**~DA~**_

Max sneaks quietly around the well kempt yard, she's decided to enter through the side window. It had been open earlier, presumably because of the unusual heat that is currently plaguing the usually rainy Seattle area The temperature hasn't dropped more than ten degrees since this afternoon, so with any luck the window will still be open.

She grins widely, adrenaline coursing through her veins. It is her lucky night. If the window is open that means that the alarm is inactive so she wouldn't have to worry about disabling it. She slips easily into the house after hoisting herself up and through the window. She soundlessly glides towards her mark.

She stops short-looking at the frame that, earlier that day, had held the painting. Taped precariously to the glass was a note: "Let the games begin." She reached out and tore it off, looking at it in astonishment.

Someone had beaten her to it. More importantly, someone had known that she intended to go after it. And they'd set up a challenge. Max grins, next round is hers.

_**~DA~**_

It's a dangerous game and she knows it. Whoever her opponent is knows who she is-but she has no idea who they are. It's been going on for a month, she'd find a house that had something she wanted and then she'd strike. Out of the last three games she'd lost two.

"Better luck next time!" and "That the best you got?" were the notes left for her those two occasions. After the third time she'd gotten there too late she started paying closer attention to her surroundings.

She can feel her challenger. Knows when they're watching her, knows when they know what she's planning. She feels them and turns quickly, her hair whipping back. _There_. She sees him; black hoody, dark blue jeans, sunglasses. He gives her a smirk and a wave before swaggering away.

He'd be back tonight.

_**~DA~**_

He finally let her see him, it's only fair, after all he's seen her. Maybe she'd stand a better chance now, it was too easy right now. Hardly a challenge. Though, he has to admit, seeing her face after she found each of his notes is very satisfying. The little grin that they bring to her features only spurs him on. She's enjoying their little game as much as he is.

_**~DA~**_

She arrived in front of her mark. It's harder to get to than the last ones, advanced alarms system, light sensors, pressure plate that raised alarm when the object was raised from it. And Max fully believed that she'd find a bag of sand in place of the artifact.

Her features twisted into a large giddy grin. She got here first. For the first time since their little game started she is gonna win. She carefully exchanges the artifact for the sand in one smooth motion. Freezing tentatively she waits a moment, nothing happens. Not so much as a creak. She lets out a sigh of relief and, with a smirk, places a note on the pedestal that had previously held the valuable object.

_**~DA~**_

He watches as she slips out of the mansion and laughed. She's catching on. He slides inside anyway, hoping for a written surprise.

He isn't disappointed. "You snooze you loose!"

He laughs quietly, guess he'll have to step it up a notch.

_**~DA~**_

"What's got you all excited Boo?" Original Cindy asks her friend as she slips into her catsuit for the second time that week. It's been happening a lot over the last couple months. Max would get all dressed up in her thief attire and disappear for the night. Every morning she'd be back with a wide smile.

"Oh, you know, just gonna take a ride through town," Max shrugs.

"In your catsuit?" Original Cindy points out. "C'mon Max, I know what choo've been up to."

"You're right. Just…don't tell Logan," Max laughs.

"What's got you goin' out so often lately?" Cindy can't help but ask.

"A game," Max says evasively.

"I'm listenin'."

"There's this guy who's been targeting the same places as me. Sometimes I get there first, sometimes he does. It's a game," Max says, shrugging again.

"You sure it's safe to be playin' with this guy?" OC asks in concern.

"If he were after me I think he'd woulda already gone for it. It's been three months since we started our little game. 'Sides, I'm gonna find out who he is tonight," she says with an excited smirk.

"Oh yeah? Whaddya think Boo, is it love?" Cindy teases. Max is nothing if not suspicious, so if she didn't think this guy was a threat than Cindy trusts that.

Max throws her a grin over her shoulder as she opens their apartment door. "Maybe," she teases back.

_**~DA~**_

He could sense her here, watching, waiting. He grins, he knew that she'd get too curious to continue their game sooner or later. He'd actually thought that it would've been sooner. He'll let her catch him, he decides. He heads into the house after the current object of his desire. After all, he might as well get the loot while he's here.

_**~DA~**_

She watches from her perch as he slinks inside. He has a catlike grace and it occurs to her, not for the first time, that he's transgenic. She wonders if he's one of her siblings, although there is another possibility.

The last time Zack had contacted her he'd told her that there was a transgenic that had gone rogue recently, he'd ran into him in California with Manticore on his back. They'd helped each other out and Zack promised to spread the word to the '09ers that he wasn't to be harmed. Alec, is his name.

It doesn't take long at all before he exits, the bagged item in hand. Her eyes widen slightly when he looks straight at her. It's time.

_**~DA~**_

"I was told there was one of you in Seattle, didn't realize you'd be so fun though. Your brother certainly isn't," he says as soon as she's close enough to hear him.

Max grins, "You must be Alec then."

"In the flesh," Alec grins. "And you're?"

"Max," she tells him, sticking out a hand. He takes it and sparks race up her arm.

She takes a good look at him for the first time since her brief glimpse of him two months ago. He's gorgeous. Beautiful bright green eyes, and a face that was obviously manufactured-along with his body. Beauty; Manticore's trademark.

"We should probably get away from the scene of the crime," he tells her with a smirk.

"Yeah. We probably should," she agrees. They quickly walk away in silence.

"I have so many questions," she admits suddenly.

He looks at her in amusement. "C'mon. My apartment's this way," he says, his way of offering to give an explanation.

She accepts. What else could she do?

_**~DA~**_

"So after my third time in Psy-Ops because of, what was it? Ben?" he nods to himself, as if confirming his answer. "I left."

"Aren't you afraid that everyone else will go through what they put you through?" Max wonders.

Alec shrugs. "I'm a solo act. No unit, to ties, no influence on anyone. If they do anything to them it won't be too bad. I wouldn't have left if I'd had a unit," he assures her.

"That must've been hard, surviving that place without a unit," she tells him hesitantly.

Alec shrugs. "You get used to it. What about you?" he asks abruptly, changing the subject. "How are you so different from Zack?"

Max laughs. "Zack is military through and through and I…I like to pretend that I'm normal," she admits.

Alec nods. "I get that…I could never do it, but I get it." He leans back against his couch. They're silent for a long moment. Alec starts to fidget slightly and finally speaks up, "So…we gonna continue our game?" he questions.

"I thought you'd never ask," Max smiles.

_**~DA~**_

They slowly grow to know each other, much to the disapproval of Logan-not that Alec cares what the ordinary thinks in the slightest. Why would he? After all he's got the game, the girl (Well-he's making good progress on that front anyway), the job (Normal absolutely loves his new golden boy) and the friends (Max has good taste…well, mostly).

No, he doesn't give a damn about what Logan thinks because here he is, free at last.

_**~DA~**_


	14. M Is For Mind

**A/N: Big thanks to "recicup" for your review! You rock! =) Thanks to everyone else who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =).**

**M Is For:**

**Mind**

Alec is happy for the first time in his life. He has a job-not the best one in the world, but it's good enough for him-great friends. And, most importantly, he has Max. Max is his world.

"Hey pretty boy," she says waving a hand in front of his face. "Where'd you go?" she jokes.

He smirks suggestively while raising his eyebrows a few time. She rolls her eyes. "Of course that's where you were!" Max laughs.

They're at Crash, Max, Cindy, Sketchy and him. Logan is there somewhere with Asha at his side. The two had hooked up _before_ Max had broken up with him. She'd been trying to find the right time to let him down when she'd walked in on the two of them together. Guess she'd stumbled upon the perfect time.

He'd tried to apologize and win her back for months, but Max refused to speak to him on anything that wasn't mission related. He was lucky she even still helped him with that.

Six months after they'd broken up she and Alec hooked up, it seemed like the most obvious thing in the world all the sudden. She really wasn't sure why she'd avoided it for so long. She leans into him as he laughs at some joke that Sketchy had just made. This is perfect.

_**~DA~**_

Sometimes he thinks that it isn't real, like she couldn't have possibly chosen him. He knew that he was better for her than Logan could ever be-he just didn't think that _she'd_ ever realize that.

When she told him that she'd caught Logan and Asha together he'd offered to kill him, hell he'd kill them both. She'd smiled and the gesture but sadly refused. They'd started hanging out a lot more after that though, and eventually it just became something more.

It seems so natural to him, the two of them together. They fit, two pieces of a two piece puzzle. He feels lucky that he found her. Lucky that Manticore threw them together that day. Glad that he'd forced himself to stay in her life, no matter how abusive she got. She didn't know how to deal with her feelings either. Where he gets sarcastic, she gets violent. It's their coping mechanisms.

He laughs as Sketchy talks about his latest failure to pick up a woman and Max leans into him. This, right here? It's perfection.

_**~DA~**_

Sometimes he forgets that they're freaks, that they're trapped within a small condemned city. Sometimes.

It's six months after that night at Crash. It wasn't long after that night that they'd been outed and forced into Terminal City.

It's a hard thing to run an entire nation, but they do it smoothly. Leaning on each other when things get hard or when they have a bad day. Max is his light in this increasingly dark world.

They laugh and watch some stupid game show that's at least ten years old, mocking the competitors while eating spaghetti. Neither of them were big pasta fans (a side effect of too many meals with Logan) but you take what you can get these days.

They sit cross-legged side by side, attached at the side from foot to hip. This kind of closeness is something that they'd only dreamed of, never thinking that they'd ever get to experience it.

They're lucky and they know it.

_**~DA~**_

They fight flawlessly together. Every movement of one matched and aided by the other. Their enemies never stand a chance. Many of their own die, but the body count of the other side is much higher.

The Familiars think that they're the superior race, the transgenics prove them wrong. Overpowering the inbred cult and taking them down. Winning the war against them, still fighting the war for their freedom.

They sadly burn their dead, giving an eulogy for each and every one of the fallen warriors. Max and Alec stand side by side, hands held, as they pay their respects to Dalton. The kid had been worth his salt as a warrior. But even the best fall eventually. Maybe, had he been given a few more years to train and prepare, he'd still be with them.

_**~DA~**_

The parties last from early evening to early evening the next day. They had a lot to celebrate. Gaining their freedom, _finally_. They've been trapped within Terminal City for eighteen months. Alec was actually a bit surprised that the government had passed the bill for their rights so quickly. But then it is a pressing matter that had the entire world hanging on every word spoken about it.

Alec and Max had dismiss themselves from the party early the next morning, preferring to take the celebration to their apartment.

He hovers over her, grinning when she finally grows impatient and jerks her head up to meet his. If he isn't going to come to her, then she's just going to have to go to him. He gives up his resistance and kisses her passionately, moving over her, hands roaming everywhere.

They're soon undressed and so encased in passion that, even if they'd wanted to, no one would be able to interrupt them.

_**~DA~**_

He doesn't know why they did it, doesn't know what the point of giving them their freedom is if they're just going to take it away.

"I can't believe this," Max mutters against his shoulder.

Alec snorts. "I can," he replies bitterly. "They never wanted us out amongst the _humans_. Makes sense that they'd rebuild Manticore."

"I thought we were finally free of them," Max groans

"Someday, Maxie, someday," he mumbles reassuringly.

_**~DA~**_

Someday comes sooner than they expected. Transgenics all come together once again, united against a common enemy. This time they fight politically as well as physically. Always in defense, never as the instigators of a fight.

They sway more and more people over to their side, the ordinaries, now used to their transgenic neighbors, riot against Manticore and join the super soldiers in battle.

The government, afraid of loosing popular support, announced the disbandment of all Manticore programs to the world after only eight short months after announcing its reestablishment.

They fail to announce that anyone caught within the eight months that it was active was kept in a secure facility far outside any city with a large population. Choosing instead to tell everyone that they'd, sadly, been killed. Some questioned this, most turned a blind eye. They'd stopped future Manticore abductions, there's nothing they can do about those already taken.

_**~DA~**_

Max sits on the Space Needle, high above the world. She isn't used to being alone anymore. Every moment of every day is usually spent with Alec. She'll fix everything though. She doesn't care what anyone says. She'll fix it.

_**~DA~**_

"We did it," Alec whispers into Max ear. They sit at crash, practically sharing a barstool, as Original Cindy and Sketchy banter back and forth. They've almost forgotten what it's like to have a normal fun filled night out.

The drama was behind them and Alec couldn't be happier. Maybe they'll get to stay this way for awhile.

_**~DA~**_

Deep within stone walls fortified with steel, in a dark room with an uncomfortable looking metal chair and a large laser projecting machine, lays a man. His eyes are wide open, but vacant. A bright red laser steaming steadily into his right eye. Pushing false images into his mind.

_**~DA~**_

"He's been here for six months, sir. We can't control him unless we keep him in here like this. I think it's time to pull the plug," Dr. Warner tells him.

"No. He's a valuable asset. We'll keep him here for awhile longer."

"We're just feeding into his fantasy's sir," the doctor says helplessly.

"Provide him with a different story then."

"We can't, sir. He doesn't respond well to any other scenario."

The man turns on him. "We're keeping him alive. Keep his little fantasy going until I can find a way to break him. And I _will_ find a way to break him," Lydecker tells the doctor before turning on his heel and leaving the room. X5-494 was their most valuable asset, and now that the government had banned any further missions, he is their _only _asset.

_**~DA~**_

She's been without her mate for six months. Max is a mess, all the time. When she isn't working to support her cause she's going out on recon missions, cashing in every favor anyone has ever owed her.

She knows that Lydecker won't kill Alec, he's too important to the man. He wouldn't have even been caught if it hadn't been for her. She'd been shot and Alec had sacrificed himself so that she could get away. Dragged away, really. She would never have willingly left him behind.

She'll get him back though. She'll _fix_ this.

_**~DA~**_

Alec lays happily beside Max. She is asleep for the first time in days. He watches her contentedly. Usually it's reversed. He'll be asleep and she'll watch him through the night.

Returning the favor on the nights when her exhaustion catches up with her is the least he can do. And he loves it. He won't trade this feeling for anything in the world.

He freezes suddenly, eyes shooting up at their closet door as it flickers. The bright white wood flickers again, turning into a cold a sterile wall, a red streaming light reflecting on the steel. It's an eerily familiar wall. Then it's gone, steel replaced once again with wood.

He shakes his head, he must be loosing his mind.

_**~DA~**_


	15. N Is For Name

**A/N: Huge Thanks to "recicup", "l", "DGfleetfox", and "patsan" for your reviews! I am thinking of possibly continuing "Mind" in one of these future prompts =). Thank you to everyone else who has Favorited this story and/or put it on alert =).**

**Sorry for the looong wait, I've had a busy week, hopefully the next updates will be quicker =).**

**Artist information: Within Temptation- Hand Of Sorrow. I thought it was fitting and couldn't help but use it for "Name" =).**

**N Is For:**

**Name**

_The child without a name grew up to be the hand_

_To watch you, to shield you or kill on demand_

_The choice he'd made, he could not comprehend_

_His blood a grim secret, they had to command_

They don't have names, only faces and numbers. They watch and learn from their superiors, they do anything and everything ordered. They're soldiers, nothing more, nothing less. Not if they want to stay alive.

Sent out on missions, they're commanded to watch their targets, protect their targets. And-usually-kill their targets. Watch, learn, kill. Ingrained into them since birth. Take the information back to their commanding officers and wait for further orders.

He'd messed up, fallen in love. Now he has to make a choice. Honor and duty or love. It might seem like an easy choice for anyone else. But here, with him, every choice has a resounding consequence that will echo down the streets for miles around. Even if no one hears it. Because no one is _listening._

He isn't a normal soldier, with a mother and a father. With the choice to enlist or not. He wasn't ever given a choice, he just is. The blood that flows through him is not his own. Made up of more people and animals than he'd care to know. He's their creation, therefore he's their's to command.

_He's torn between his honor and the true love of his life_

_He prayed for both but was denied _

Honor and duty? Or love? He doesn't believe in god, he has no reason to. God, if there is such thing, didn't create him. He was created by scientists in a lab. Grown in a Petri dish. So even if God does exist, he doesn't for him.

So he doesn't really know what he prays to, he's not really sure he'd even call it praying. Hoping, wishing, demanding, maybe. Just not praying. Couldn't he have both? Honor, duty and love?

It's completely ridiculous, he knows. No one can have that, not here. And he's the rule, not the exception.

_So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed_

_Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?_

_So many years have past, who are the noble and the wise?_

_Will all our sins be justified? _

They'd had dreams, dreams of a life beyond this. Dreams of happiness and freewill. Dreams of a life free of orders. Those dreams were shattered.

He sacrificed her for them, because that's the only choice he could ever make. He is what they made him, they _own_ him.

They talk about themselves like they're all knowing, like they're kings in a den of thieves. They made their toy soldiers, made them, played with them, broke them, glued them back together. Start again.

They're nothing more than toys to those with power and position. But they do a service to this country. They intervene before wars can start, they end wars, they start wars, they protect government secrets. Honor, duty.

Sin. If he believed in God then maybe he'd believe that he was a sinner. He'd killed, lied, cheated, stole. Textbook definition of sin. Or so he's told, he doesn't really care. There's a lot he doesn't care about anymore. They took that away from him.

He does wonder sometimes, if he is a sinner is he justified? He's ordered to do everything that he's done-well except for the falling in love part. Does that put him in the clear? They're the sinners, really. He's the sin.

_The curse of his powers tormented his life_

_Obeying the crown was a sinister price_

_His soul was tortured by love and by pain_

_He surely would flee but the oath made him stay _

He thinks that he'd be tormented, if they let him. So tormented that he wouldn't be able to get out of bed at first light like he is commanded to do. Instead he suffers silently. It's his torment, they don't need to know about it. It's his powers, his speed, strength, smarts. So why do they control him?

Obedience is demanded, anything else call for immediate termination. Unless you are too valuable. Then you're just thrown into isolation for a few months. A little brainwashing, a little torture, and your good as new. Ready to do anything asked just as long as you _get to stay out of that damned room_. If you obey them, you skate by. If you obey them, you can't allow yourself to look too closely at what they're forcing you to do. Everything comes with a price. Some, more sinister than others.

He doesn't know if he has a soul. Religion dictates that only God made things have a soul. Their religion anyway, he doesn't know, he's never studied it. It he does have one, he'd guess that it's tortured. Tortured by brutality, by that glimpse of shining light that had given him hope. That had been stolen away.

He's thought of running, of fleeing. Getting as far away from here as possible. And he could do it too, he's the best of the best. Top of the line. Maybe he never actually took an oath, because he never _chose_ this life. But it's his home, and they're his creators. Maybe he doesn't owe them anything. Maybe he owes them everything.

What does he know?

_He's torn between his honor and the true love of his life_

_He prayed for both but was denied_

_So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed_

_Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?_

_So many years have past, who are the noble and the wise?_

_Will all our sins be justified? _

Around and around and around it goes. The same thoughts, feelings, beliefs, flowing through his mind, his body, in an unending manner. He choice was all but stolen from him, but he let it be. Everything from here on out. It's on him.

He'd chosen _this_ over _her_. Anything else would have killed her, would have condemned her to his same fate. She'd already escaped. Again. She was free, as free as they could be. He'd let her go, let her escape. Because he loved her. Because she was more important than he could ever be.

_Please forgive me for the sorrow, for leaving you in fear_

_For the dreams we had to silence, that's all they'll ever be_

_Still I'll be the hand that serves you_

_Though you'll not see that it is me _

He hopes that she'll forgive him. He'll never forgive himself. She'd begged him to escape with her, but he _couldn't_. It wasn't just them that it would effect, but everyone else. Letting her go was a big enough betrayal as it was, leaving with her. He doesn't want to even imagine the damage that would inflict on everyone else.

She'd been scared, scared for him. He knows this. Scared that she'd be the reason for his death. And he desperately hopes that she'll forgive him for that, for letting her leave so scared. It was his choice. He knows this too.

They'd talked about their dreams. Dreams of escaping, or getting the hell out of there. But that's all they were. And he _had_ to silence them. For her sake as much as his. Because that's all they could ever be. Dreams.

He watches her sometimes though. She doesn't know it. She can never know it. He's the best of the best, top of the line. Of course they didn't kill him for his betrayal. Brainwashing, torture, good as new. He's back on active status, solo missions, assassinations.

He shouldn't know where she is, she should have never come back here. Not when she knew that he knew. Because she had told him. Because she loved him. They can never know where she is. He'll take that secret to his grave.

He's saved her a time or two. Silently backing her up, providing cover fire when she entered too hot a zone. When he's not on mission, not at base, he's here. Watching, helping, loving.

She knows that he's out there. She knows when he helps her, saves her. She knows that he loves her, that he always will. Even if he didn't _choose_ her. He knows this.

She'll never see him though, never have visual proof that it's him. He won't let her. It's better that way, for the both of them. If they meet up face to face, they'd never be able to let go again. And that just couldn't happen, not now. Not when she has a name out here, she has a life, friends, freedom. He can't take that away from her. And if they met up he would. _They_ would.

_So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed_

_Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?_

_So many years have past, who are the noble and the wise?_

_Will all our sins be justified? _

_**-End-**_


	16. O Is For Open

**A/N: Sorry for the incredibly long wait! It seems like I haven't had a break in 2 months =/. I have definitely not forgotten about this fic and will continue it as often as I'm able to! **

**Big thanks to "recicup" for your review! Thanks to everyone else who has Favorited and/or put this story on alert =)! **

**O Is For:**

**Open**

Watching them together is painful, a knife to the gut. Painful enough that he can't just ignore it anymore. He's always been there for her and she will always choose _him_.

So he drinks, and he kicks Sketchy's ass at pool. He goes home with a different woman every night and then he drinks some more. He's got a routine, maybe he can convince himself that it's enough.

"What's up with you?" Max asks him, looking around the room-obviously not actually interested in his problems.

"Nothing," he replies, telling her what she wants to hear.

"Okay," she says absently.

Alec smirks and shakes his head, watching her. "Who are you looking for?" he asks, pretty sure that he already knows the answer.

"Hmm?" she hums, looking at him. "Oh, Logan is supposed to meet me here."

"Date night?" he questions.

"Somethin' like that," she tells him with a distant smile.

His smirk softens a bit as he looks at her. He opens his mouth to reply when he catches sight of Logan walking down the stairs. He closes his mouth, stopping the words before they got the chance to fully form.

"Well, I'll leave you guys to it," he says instead. Standing up and walking away, jacket in hand.

Max's eyes light up as they land on Logan. She looks back to Alec, ready to reply when she notices that he is already half way across the club sitting at the bar with a glass of scotch in hand.

She feels a slight pang of guilt. She's distracted, not stupid. She knows that something's up with him. She's just _so_ bad at talking about feelings. Bad excuse, the truth nonetheless.

"Hey you," Logan greets when he finally reaches her.

"Hey," she replies softly, her smile reappearing.

"Alec okay?" he asks, feeling obligated to ask.

"I don't know," she answers honestly.

"Well…we can talk about him later. Tonight is about us," he says with a grin.

"Yeah," she smiles.

"I'm really glad you agreed to go out tonight. I know things have been a little…strained between us."

"Things haven't been the same since Manticore," she acknowledges.

"And the virus," Logan points out.

"Yeah, that," Max agrees.

"I think we should try to work this out anyway. It'd be like a long distance relationship…only, you know, we get to see each other," he jokes, a smile lighting up his face.

Max tries to imitate his smile, wondering if she's really making the right choice. There's a lot at stake here.

_**~DA~**_

Alec shakes his head as he picks up on Max and Logan's conversation. They can try until their faces are blue, it'll never work out.

"Hey, I'm Melody," a woman says as she sits down next to him.

Alec looks at her. She's beautiful, long burgundy red hair, plump red painted lips, legs that never end. Maybe a little silicone in some places, but he can look past that.

He reaches a hand out to her. "Alec."

"Can I buy you a drink?" Melody asks with a wide grin.

Alec graces her with a smile. "Scotch."

"A man of few words," she jokes. _If only she knew_. "Scotch it is," she laughs waving down the barkeep.

The next hour flies by and Alec is surprised to find himself having a good time.

"You wanna take this back to your place?" she asks seductively, already reaching for her purse.

Alec looks at her from beneath his lashes and grins. "Yeah, let's do that," he agrees, grabbing his jacket and getting to his feet.

_**~DA~**_

Max's attention is caught when she sees a flash of leather. The leather turns out to be attached to Alec who, in turn, is attached to a redheaded bimbo.

"Max?" Logan asks, following her gaze. "Looks like Alec's feeling better," he smirks.

"Yeah, that's good," she replies, watching the male transgenic leave before turning her attention back to Logan with a smile.

_**~DA~**_

She walks into Jam Pony the next day and immediately spots Alec chatting animatedly with Original Cindy. They duo laughed suddenly and Cindy affectionately reached out and punched him on the arm. Alec flinched dramatically and brought his arm up to the targeted spot, muttering something that had Cindy laughing again.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Max asks as she reaches them.

"Original Cindy's being abusive!" Alec whines, eyes shining with laughter. "I think she's been hanging out with you too much."

"The hazard of living together," Max jokes back, hooking an arm through Cindy's in a show of solidarity.

Alec holds his hands up. "I know a loosing battle when I see one. You two are deadly," he winks. He starts to walk away when Normal suddenly calls him over but Original Cindy stops him before he gets to far.

"Sketchy, Max, Logan and me are gonna be at Crash tonight. You comin' hot boy?" she asks him.

Alec thinks about it for a moment, after realizing he really has no inclination to spend a night with Max _and _Logan he shakes his head. "Next time, got a hot date tonight," he lies with a grin.

"Original Cindy'll hold ya to that," she tells her friend, wondering silently how long it'll be before he won't be able to control himself anymore. He won't be able to avoid Max and Logan forever.

She watches him walk away and strike up a conversation with Normal before turning back to Max. "What sector you got?"

"Nine," Her boo replies.

"Me too, let's go," she says with a smile.

_**~DA~**_

"The gang's all here," Logan states with a grin as he brings the first pitcher of beer to the table.

"Well, almost," Sketchy corrects. "Where's Alec?"

"Hot date," Original Cindy tells him with a knowing smirk.

"Lucky son of a bitch," Sketchy mutters. "He gets all the babes."

"Look at the bright side. He can't rob you of your money if he isn't here," Max points out with a laugh.

"True dat," Cindy agrees, clinking her glass against Max's.

_**~DA~**_

Max isn't stupid. She might not always be aware of what he's thinking or doing but she can tell when he's avoiding something. Her, for example. It's been two months since the last time they'd hung out at Crash and the only time she ever sees Alec is at work-or when Logan needs the two of them for a mission.

Normally this wouldn't bother her. She's actually not sure why it does now. He always has some excuse for not going out with them. And, as much as she might hate to admit it, he _is_ part of the gang. He's somehow integrated himself within her small circle of friends, and they all miss hanging out with them. He does know how to breathe life into a party.

After the twentieth time that one of them invited him to go to Crash with them after work, consequently the twentieth time he's made up some excuse and turned them down, she decides to follow him. She's curious, so sue her.

She follows him all the way to his damn apartment. Marching into the building she barges through his door, hands on her hips. Alec turns towards her, crouched down slightly on the defensive. Eyes narrow and wild, ready for an attack. He relaxes only slightly when his eyes land on her.

"Wow, with a party like this It's no wonder you keep ditching us," she says snarkily, eyeing the dark apartment. The only life, aside from the two of them, is the TV in the background.

"What are you doing here, Max?" Alec asks warily, allowing himself to fully relax.

"I followed you," she answers honestly.

"Yeah, I got that. _Why_?"

"I wanted to know more about this 'hot date'," she retorts. "You're right, that TV is super sleek."

"I'm so not in the mood for this right now, Max. Come back another time," he tells her quietly, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"No. Why are you avoiding us?" she asks, refusing to leave until she gets her answer.

"I'm not avoiding you, I just like some nights to myself."

"Bullshit. You haven't gone out with us in two months," she points out disbelievingly. "Sketchy and OC are starting to miss you."

"I see them all the time. Maybe you don't know this, but we work together," he whispers confidentially with a roll of his eyes.

Her eyes widen suddenly as something sinks in. "You're not avoiding them, are you? You're avoiding me. Or Logan," she states, almost to herself.

"What?" he asks incredulously.

"You talk to Sketch and Cin all the time. Then as soon as I walk up you go all quiet and un-Alec like. Same when you're over at Logan's. Can barely get two words out of you," she tells him, putting all the pieces together.

"That's ridiculous," he states, trying to put as much emotion into it as possible.

"This is because we decided to get together isn't it? Look Alec, I know you don't think that Transgenics and ordinaries should be together but this is my life. My decision. I don't need your approval," she snaps.

He stands there in shock for a moment. Ah, what the hell? "Yep," he nods. "It's just been a little weird. But ya know, you're right, it's your choice," he agrees with her, deciding that her truth was the better one to go with.

Her eyes narrow, that was a little _too_ easy in her opinion. Alec isn't one to admit when she's right. She pouts suddenly. "Now you've made me doubt myself."

Alec rolls his eyes. "You got your answer, Max. You should get goin', Logan and the gang will be wondering where you are."

"Please just tell me?" she practically begs, her feline curiosity taking over. She walks closer to him, looking at him with the saddest eyes that she can conjure.

Alec rolls his head back and closes his eyes with a groan. "Just go, Max," he orders.

"Alec-"

"Why can't you just let it go? Why do you care?" he demands.

Max raises an eyebrow and glares. "I don't," she lies.

"Then _go_," he repeats.

"No," she says again.

Alec lets out a frustrated groan. "Fine. You wanna know why I don't wanna be around you and wheels?" he grits out.

Before she can nod a second time he reaches out and grabs her by the shoulders, pulling her into him and crashing his lips down on hers. She's completely still, shocked at the turn of events. Before she can decide whether to give in to him or push him away he pushes himself away from her, backing up several steps.

"_That's_ why," he spits out angrily. Feeling guilty over his loss of control, and her current expression of shock. He brings a hand up to his face and massage his eyes. "Please _go_," he pleads, ready to attempt to drink himself into oblivion.

She nods silently and turns away from her, quickly leaving the apartment complex-and Alec-behind.

What the hell had just happened? She wonders, her mind going in circles and her fingers coming up to touch her still burning lips.

_**~DA~**_

It's a game now. How long the two of them can go without seeing each other. Avoidance, a wonderful thing.

Alec still refuses any invitation to go out to Crash-or anywhere else-if Max or Logan, or both, are going to be there. And Max…well, Max just refuses to involve Alec in anything that he doesn't _need_ to be involved in. And she spends a lot of time on the Space Needle. _A lot_ of time.

She's a horrible person, she's known that for a long time. It comes with the genes. This is different though. Because now he's under her skin. She wants more, craves more. She _finally_ commits to Logan and _Alec _happens.

_**~DA~**_

One month passes, two months pass, three months roll around and everyone is on edge. Even oblivious Sketchy has started wondering what the hell is going on. Alec sometimes questions his sanity-more than sometimes, actually. What if Manticore was right about the insanity gene? He's got to be insane for actually _staying_ here. He should have packed up and left a long time ago. Why hasn't he?

_**~DA~**_

"When you two gonna stop dancing' 'round each other, boo?" Original Cindy finally asks one night. She'd been out with Alec the night before, hitting up a different club. What can she say? She likes the guy. He is as silent about the current situation as Max is.

"He kissed me, Cin!" Max exclaims.

"You didn't stop him," Cindy points out with a smirk.

"I-I was in shock. It was over before I came to my senses," Max insists.

"You tell Logan?" she asks.

"He doesn't need to know. It isn't a big deal," Max replies.

"Then you guys shouldn't still be avoiding each other," she tells her just as Sketchy walks up to them.

"Talkin' about Max and Alec?" he asks, catching the last part of the conversation. "Yeah Max, you two just need to kiss and make up already," he says. Original Cindy rolls her eyes while Max bangs her head down against the table. "What?" Sketchy asks, confused.

_**~DA~**_

"Is something going on between you and Alec?" Logan asks her the night after her conversation with Original Cindy.

"What?" she asks in surprise.

"You two have been avoiding each other for months, Max. It's obvious," Logan says quietly, not quite able to meet her eyes.

"Nothin' is goin' on with me and Alec," she rushes to assure him.

"You've been pulling away from me too," he tell her, almost whispering now.

"No I haven't," she argues. "I've just been busy. A lot on my mind."

Logan nods, giving up. "Okay."

_**~DA~**_

High up above Seattle there is no one to interrogate her. She prefers it like this. Logan isn't wrong, she has been pulling away from him. She's lost, she doesn't know what she wants. She's not a stranger to that feeling, but usually-when it comes to men-she has a clear prospect in mind.

Alec complicates everything. As big a pain in the ass as he is, she can't help but consider him _her_ pain in the ass. She relies on him more than she does Logan, trusts him with her life. She can't deny that the brief kiss that they shared had ignited something in her, and she can't put it back out.

_**~DA~**_

"It's over," she tells him. They've been talking for the last hour, had a nice meal of pasta and pre-pulse wine.

He doesn't look surprised. "I know," he tells her sadly. "I've known for awhile."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too," he agrees. "I knew it was gonna be Alec the moment I met him," he tells her, smiling bitterly. "I just didn't want to let go."

"Neither did I," she admits.

"I know this is a cliché…but we can still be friends," Logan says, laughing uncomfortably.

"I'd like that," she nods with a soft smile of her own. "I'll see ya later. I gotta-" she points towards the door with her thumbs.

"Yeah, go. My doors always open." Logan sadly watches her walk out of his apartment, thankful that she isn't gone from his life. He never wanted to see her go, but it's true what he said. The moment he saw Max and Alec together he knew that he'd lost. Even if they didn't see it yet.

_**~DA~**_

He smirks as he beats Sketchy for the third time that night. Alec had decided that they should just play for drinks this time, feeling oddly guilty about taking all of Sketchy's money.

"Damn it, dude. You are unstoppable," Sketchy groans.

"Practice makes perfect," Alec quips.

"I've had lots of practice…hasn't helped," the lanky man mutters as he walks towards the bar.

Alec's laugh abruptly stops when Max appears in front of him. "Uh-hey, Max," he says, unsure.

"Alec," she nods.

Alec looks around. "Where's Logan?"

"He isn't coming tonight," she says. She pauses a moment before continuing, "We broke up, actually."

He looks at her in surprise. "Sorry to hear that," he tells her, trying to sound sincere.

She smirks. "I'm sure."

"Wanna play a game?" he invites after a long stretch of silence, pointing to the pool table with his cue.

"Sure," she agrees with a smile. Their eyes lock as she reaches for her pool stick, she gives him a slight nod and his eyes light up in understanding. She didn't just break up with Logan, she broke up with Logan for _him._

_**~DA~**_

Original Cindy watches with a smile as Alec and Max leave the club together about an hour after Max had arrived. It's about damn time.

_**~DA~**_


End file.
